/ 


REPORT 


MILITARY  RECONNAISSANCE 


A^  L  ^  B  K  ^  , 


18  8  3 


FREDERICK    SCH^VATKA, 

1st  Lieut.,  :?d  Regt.  Cavalry,  U.  S.  Army. 


WITH  MAPS  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


WASniNGT(3N: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING-   OFFICE. 

1885.       . 


EARTH 

SClEMCiLi 
•  LIBRARY 


GEOGRAPHY  DEFT, 


48th  Congress,  \  SENATE.  ( Ex.  Doo. 

2d  Session.        )  )     No.  2. 


LETTER 

FROM 

THE  SECRETARY   OF  WAR, 

TRANSMITTING, 

hi  answer  to  Senate  resolution  of  April  18, 1884,  the  official  report  of  Lieu- 
tenant SchicatJca  of  his  military  reconnaissance  of  1883  in  AlasJca. 


December  3,  1884. — Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Printing,  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


War  Department, 
Washington  City,  December  1,  1884. 
The  Secretarj^  of  War  has  the  honor  to  transmit  to  the  United  States 
Senate  a  copy  of  the  official  report  of  Lieut.  Frederick  Schwatka,  Third 
Cavalry,  of  his  military  reconnaissance  of  1883,  from  Chilkoot  Inlet, 
Alaska,  to  Fort  Selkirk,  on  Yukon  River,  Alaska,  in  compliance  with 
the  resolution  of  the  Senate  of  April  18,  1884,  as  follows: 

Besolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  War  be,  and  he  is  hereby,  directed  to  transmit  to 
the  Senate  the  oflBcial  report  by  Lieut.  Frederick  Schwatka,  United  States  Army,  of 
his  military  reconnaissance  of  1883,  from  Chilkoot  Inlet,  Alaska,  to  Fort  Selkirk,  on 
Yukon  River,  Alaska. 

Accompanying  are  two  letters  of  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  Army, 

dated,  respectively,  April  22  and  November  4,  1884,  from  the  latter  of 

which  it  will  be  observed  that  the  delay  in  preparing  a  complete  copy 

of  the  report  of  Lieutenant  Schwatka  was  occasioned  by  the  necessity 

of  procuring  copies  of  the  photographic  illustrations  accompanying  the 

report. 

ROBERT  T.  LINCOLN, 

Secretary  of  War. 
The  President  pro  tempore 

United  States  Senate. 


War  Department, 
Adjutant-General's  Office, 

Washington,  April  22,  1884. 
Sir  :  Referring  to  the  Senate  resolution  of  April  18, 1884,  calling  for 
a  copy  of  the  report  of  Lieutenant  Schwatka's  reconnaissance  from  Chil- 

991439 


2  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

koot  Inlet  to  Fort  Selkirk,  Alaska,  made  in  1883,  I  have  the  honor  to 
state  that  the  report  in  question  not  having  been  received  at  this  office 
a  telejjram  was  addressed  to  the  commanding  general  Departnient  of 
the  Columbia  calling  for  it. 
A  reply  has  just  been  received  from  that  office,  which  reads  as  follows: 

Sclnviitka's  ri-port  not  yet  reiulercd.     Will  be  in  day  or  two.     Very  volnuiinousJ 
tbroo  luiudri'd  jtafios  nianu8Ciii)t;  reciuircs  several  days  to  coj)y. 

The  copy  desired  by  the  Senate  will  be  prepared  and  submitted  as 

soon  as  the  report  reaches  this  office. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  C.  DRUM, 

Adjutant-  General. 
The  Hon.  Secretary  of  War. 


War  Department, 
Adjutant-General's  Office, 

Washington,  November  4,  1884. 
Sir:  Referring  to  my  communication  of  April  22,  1884,  on  the  sub- 
ject, I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  herewith  a  copy  of  the  official  report 
by  First  Lieut.  Frederick  Schwatka,  Third  Cavalry,  of  his  military  re- 
connaissance of  1883,  from  Chilkoot  Inlet,  Alaska,  to  Fort  Selkirk,  on 
Yukon  River,  Alaska,  called  for  by  Senate  resolution  of  April  18,  1884. 
The  delay  in  furnishing  a  complete  copy  was  caused  by  the  necessity 
to  i)rocure  co{)ies  of  the  photographic  illustrations  accompanying  Lieu- 
tenant Schwatka's  report,  which  were  recently  obtained  by  the  com- 
manding general  Department  of  the  Columbia. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  C.  DRUM, 

Adjutant-  General. 
The  Hon.  Secretary  of  War. 


MILITARY  RECONNAISSANCE  IN  ALASKA. 


Brig.  Geu.  Kelson  A.  Miles, 

Brevet  Major- General  United  /States  Army, 

Commanding  Department  of  the  Columbia, 

Vancouver  Barracl's,  Washington  Territory : 
Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  iu  obedieuce  to  letter  of  instruc- 
tions from  your  oflfice  dated  April  7,  1883  (and  herewith  appended  and 
marked  A),  I  left  Vancouver  Barracks,  Washington  Territory,  with  a 
party  of  seven  persons,  all  told,  the  following  being  its  organization : 

1.  Frederick  Schwatka,  first  lieutenant  Third  Cavalry,  aid-de-camp 
to  department  commander,  commanding. 

2.  George  F.  Wilson,  assistant  surgeon  United  States  Army,  sur- 
geon. 

3.  Charles  A.  Homan,  topographical  assistant  United  States  Army, 
topographer. 

4.  Sergeant  Charles  Gloster,  ComjDany  K,  First  Cavalry. 

5.  Corporal  William  H.  Shirclilf,  Company  G,  Second  Infantry. 

6.  Private  John  Roth,  Company  I,  Twentj^-flrst  Infantry. 

7.  J.  B.  Mcintosh,  citizen. 

This  party,  styled  the  "  Alaska  Military  Eeconnaissance  of  1883,"  left 
Portland,  Oregon,  May  22,  1883,  on  the  Pacific  Coast  Steamship  Com- 
pany's collier  and  freight  steamer  "  Victoria"  for  Alaska,  touching  en 
route  at  Astoria,  Oregon;  Neah  Bay,  Washington  Territory;  Victoria, 
Vancouver  Island,  British  Columbia,  and  Port  Townsend,  Puget  Sound, 
Washington  Territory. 

The  "Victoria"  crossed  Dixon  Entrance,  the  channel  that  separates 
British  Columbia  from  Alaska  Territory,  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
29th  of  May,  and  shortly  afterward  entered  Boca  de  Quadra  Inlet, 
where  freight  was  left  for  the  Cape  Fox  Salmon  Cannery,  an  enterprise 
just  started  this  year.  This  cannery  is  in  the  Indian  country  of  the 
Tongas  and  (Cape)  Foxes.  These  bands  are  described  under  the  title 
of  "  Native  tribes  visited."  I  have  confined  my  report  regarding  the 
Alaskan  Indians  strictly  to  those  bands  or  sub-bands  that  my  party  has 
visited  in  whole  or  in  part,  but  having  once  opened  the  subject  of  any 
particular  tribe,  I  have  collected  and  transcribed  all  the  available  in- 
formation regarding  them  that  I  considered  to  be  reliable.  Further 
than  the  "  Native  tribes  visited  " — the  most  important  informatioii  re- 
quired of  my  military  reconnaissance — I  have  made  no  division  of  my 

3    . 


9  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    JN    ALASKA. 

1  do  not  boliovo,  liowovcr,  tliat  tliere  are  over  five  or  six  villages  of 
this  t'onstnic'fion  and  capacity  in  tbe  whole  archipelago.  Where  the 
soil  wonld  allow  it,  some  of  tlie  Thlinkit  tribes  have  dug  cellars  under- 
neath their  cabins  for  storage  i)nrpo.>-es,  and  also  with  an  idea  for  de- 
fense. The  moral  eliect  on  the  savage  mind  of  a  few  shells  would  make 
them  uutenable. 

The  subject  of  the  supersitions  of  a  savage  race  in  its  bearing  upon 
military  considerations  of  them  has  no  importance  except  so  far  as  their 
medicinemen,  or  shamans  (pronounced  showman),  as  they  are  called  in 
Alaska,  have  i)ower  to  instigate,  carry  on,  or  i)revent  war.  In  this 
connection  the  shamans  are  discussed  in  each  tribe  described. 

The  Thlinkit  transportation  is  one  that  varies  but  little  with  the  dif- 
ferent tribes,  although  noted  in  each.  They  have  two  distinct  sizes  of 
canoes,  the  large  or  war  canoe,  which  may  hold  from  twenty-five  to 
fifty  or  even  seventy-five,  and  the  smaller  ones  for  personal  use,  holding 
one  or  two  individuals.  The  former,  once  very  numerous,  are  slowly 
becoming  obsolete,  or  really  degenerating  into  medium  sizes  used  in 
transporting  household  effects  from  one  village  to  another  as  the  fish- 
eries change  their  location  on  which  they  are  dependent.  I  annex  a 
good  illustration  of  a  war  canoe  taken  from  Lieutenant  Wood's  article 
in  the  Century  Magazine  of  July,  1882,  "Among  the  Thlinkits  of 
Alaska." 


i    / 


Tm:.  2. — Tliliiikct  war  cauoc. 


1  believe  that  most  of  their  boats  are  swifter  than  any  that  we  could 
bring  against  them,  not  i)ropelled  by  steam.  They  are  as  good  masters 
as  we  of  the  art  of  sailing  wherever  that  mode  can  be  adopted.     If  the 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  7 

old  military  posts  should  be  reoccupied  or  uew  ones  established,  each 
one  should  therefore  be  furnished  with  a  steam  launch  swift  enongh  to 
run  down  these  canoes  and  large  enough  to  carry  a  combating  force 
equal  to  any  village  that  it  may  be  called  upon  to  assail  within  the 
limits  of  its  district.  Tongas,  Wrangel,  and  Sitka  were  the  i^oints 
within  the  Alexander  Archipelago  occupied  bj"  troops  before  it  was  or- 
dered to  be  abandoned ;  but  so  many  new  industries  have  developed 
within  that  time,  and  other  changes  been  made  that  vary  their  useful- 
ness, that  they  should  not  be  reoccupied  or  new  posts  established  with- 
out a  critical  examination  by  the  proper  officers  for  such  duty.  The 
site  personally  selected  at  Killisnoo  by  the  late  Brevet  Maj.  Gen.  Jef- 
ferson C.  Davis,  U.  S.  Army,  at  one  time  commander  of  the  Alaskan  De- 
partment, is  well  situated  and  constantly  growing  in  importance. 

The  grasses  of  this  country  are  in  sufficient  quantities  to  sustain  the 
limited  number  of  animals  that  would  be  required  at  a  military  station 
for  police  and  post  duty,  and  the  fact  that  the  character  of  the  country 
makes  it  imi^racticable  to  use  mounted  troops  effectively,  if  at  all,  makes 
the  subject  of  small  importance.  Baled  hay  can  be  readily  obtained 
for  winter  forage. 

Water  supplies  for  j)osts  are  unexcelled  in  the  numerous  mountain 
streams  emanating  directly  from  glaciers  and  snowbanks  on  the  high 
hill-tops,  and  nearly  all  of  these  can  be  dammed  at  altitudes  that  would 
give  ample  reservoir  for  fire  or  sprinkling  purposes  or  to  conduct  water 
through  a  post  by  a  system  of  pipes.  Such  methods  have  already  been 
used  in  the  salmon  canneries  lately  erected  in  this  part  of  Alaska. 

Wood  is  plentiful  and  fuel  should  be  obtained  as  reasonable  as  at  any 
post  in  the  department  proper.  Yellow  cedar  and  Sitkan  spruce,  or 
balsam  fir,  is  in  ample  quantities  for  timber,  and  a  portable  saw-mill 
would  save  considerable  in  the  construction  of  a  post  in  furnishing 
rough  lumber,  which  is  expensive  from  the  high  rates  of  freight  to  this 
part  of  the  Territory.  Coal  has  been  found  but  not  in  proper  quantity 
or  quality. 

While  the  hardier  varieties  of  vegetables  can  be  grown  here  with  a 
little  harder  labor  than  in  more  temperate  climates,  I  think  that,  in  gen- 
eral, post  gardens  will  be  found  to  be  failures,  the  limited  areas  of  fertile 
soil,  the  ready  access  to  Portland  and  Puget  Sound  markets,  at  much 
cheaper  rates,  and  the  uncertainty  of  success  in  a  garden  from  year  to 
year  determining  this.  Such  vegetables  as  can  be  grown  here,  and  that 
would  be  more  or  less  injured  in  their  freshness  by  long  tri^nsportation, 
would  probably  be  raised  in  small  gardens,  while  the  standard  varieties 
as  potatoes,  onions,  &c.,  usually  issued  to  troops,  would  be  supplied  by 
the  proper  department  from  the  markets  indicated,  the  ease  with  which 
they  can  be  reached  making  the  matter  of  post  gardens  of  little  impor- 
tance compared  with  the  isolated  frontier  forts. 

The  beef  or  fresh  meat  sui)ply  will  be  the  hardest  to  meet,  considering 
the  well-known  craving  in  the  American  soldier  for  good  warm-blooded 


8  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

meats.  With  a  small  steamer  at  the  disposal  of  the  military,  as  already 
8u<i-^este<l,  tlieiv  will  be  Imt  little  trouble  in  sii[)plyin<;-  this  from  Pii^-et 
Sound  niiiikcts  at  I'oit  TowummmI  rates,  but  in  case  this  transportation 
is  done  l>v  pri\  ate  lines  the  exi)ense  for  any  number  of  troops  will  be 
considerablo.  Tiiere  are  very  few  i)la('«'s  in  this  part  of  the  Territory 
where  a  herd  of  eattle  eould  be  l<ei)t  even  in  the  summer  b(^yond  the 
time  that  would  be  uecessary  for  them  to  pick  up  the  flesh  they  had  lost 
in  transportation,  but  meat  once  killed  can  be  kept  quite  a  while  in 
good  condition  with  but  very  little  trouble.  Hogs  will  do  better,  and 
will  ])robably  enter  into  the  soldier's  diet  in  a  larger  ration  than  at  other 
army  posts.  A  bill  of  fare  in  this  ])art  of  Alaska  can  be  varied  by  clams, 
mussels,  herring,  codfish,  salmon,  and  halibut,  in  the  way  of  cold-blooded 
meats,  the  latter  existing  in  large  quantities;  in  fact  nearly  all  sorts  of 
fish  swarm  in  these  waters,  the  principal  industries  being  fisheries,  and 
likely  to  remain  so  until  civil  law  is  extended  over  the  Territory  so  as  to 
protect  lumbering  and  miniing  interests,  these  three  being  the  staple  in- 
dustries, i)resent  and  prospective,  of  Southeastern  Alaska.  Venison, 
■wild  goat,  mountain  sheep,  and  black  and  brown  bear's  meat  may  be 
bad  occasionally.     Ducks  and  geese  are  abundant  in  their  season. 

The  general  liealthfulness  of  this  district  will  compare  favorably  with 
any  in  the  United  States,  onlj'  such  diseases  as  are  produced  or  aggra- 
vated by  prolonged  damp  weather — the  general  climatic  state  of  this 
country — being  worthy  of  notice  in  their  causation  or  therapeutics. 

As  to  the  general  warlike  tendency  of  the  Thlinkits  it  must  be  said 
that  they  have  been  very  peaceable  since  we  have  come  into  possession 
of  the  country,  with  but  a  few^  excei)tions,  although  some  of  their  bellig- 
erent acts  show  that  they  can  be  very  combative  when  that  faculty  is 
aroused.  The  Kakes  of  Kuprinoff  Island  of  the  Alexander  Archipelage, 
as  late  as  1857,  made  a  hostile  excursion  in  their  war  canoes  as  far  as 
Puget  Sound,  and  killed  the  collector  of  customs  at  Port  Townseud. 
The  Chilkats,  in  1851,  made  a  descent  of  over  500  miles  from  their 
country,  across  the  mountains,  down  the  Upper  Yukon,  with  its  lakes 
and  rai)i(ls,  in  order  to  burn  a  Hudson  Bay  post  (Fort  Selkirk)  that  was 
interfering  with  their  inland  trade.  Such  acts  do  not  belong  to  a  very 
cowardly  race,  and  these  acts  could  be  extended  beyond  those  cited. 
The  bold,  rugged  character  of  their  country,  the  consequent  severe  exer- 
cise necessary  to  procure  skins  for  clothing  in  the  past  generations,  and 
the  results  still  inherited  more  or  less  in  the  present,  the  large  number 
of  petty  tribes  constantly  jarring  about  mooted  matters  of  savage  poli- 
tics, all  go  up  to  give  them  a  sort  of  warlike  morale,  not  to  be  expected 
by  the  closest  student  of  Indian  character,  who  might  superficially 
reason  from  their  fish-eating,  easily  subsisted,  and  i)resent  indolent  and 
quiet  existence.  Like  all  Indians,  however  brave,  they  are  mortally 
afraid  of  cannon,  Gatling  guns,  and  any  other  large  arms  not  used  by 
themselves,  and  a  single  well-directed  shell  would  have  more  moral 
eflect  and  less  fatal  results  in  bringing  them  to  terms  than  a  village  full 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA  9 

of  corpses  produced  by  weapons  with  which  they  are  familiar  and  can 
meet  man  for  man,  gun  for  gun.  Tlie  fact,  already  noted,  that  all  their 
villages  and  camps  are  near  the  edge  of  navigable  waters  makes  this 
statement  of  military  importance  in  the  consideration  of  these  tribes. 

The  arms  of  these  tribes  are  quite  inferior  in  quality,  but  are  grad- 
ually improving  as  the  country  is  settling  uj),  and  it  will  be  a  mere 
matter  of  time  when  they  may  be  equal  if  not  superior  to  ours.  Their 
sources  of  supply  for  ammunition,  while  adequate  for  present  wants  with 
muzzile-loading  guns,  will  be  more  precarious  as  they  adopt  improved 
weai)ons,  and  doubly  so  in  case  of  war.  The  quality  of  arms  and  sources 
of  supply  of  ammunition  are  more  minutely  described  with  each  tribe. 

The  most  friendly  feeling  exists  between  the  white  people  and  Indians 
of  the  archipelago,  and  this  is  quite  noticeable  among  the  older  and 
permanent  residents  of  the  former  class,  many  of  whom  declare  that  if 
a  war  is  ever  occasioned  it  will  more  than  likelj^  be  the  fault  of  the 
whites.  Such  expressions,  so  foreign  to  frontier  parlance,  augurs  well 
for  the  relation  between  the  two  elements.  Through  the  medium  of 
labor  offered  by  the  new  industries  springing  up  in  this  coast-water 
strip,  the  Indians  are  gradually  learning  the  value  of  money  and  its 
many  benefits,  and  where  this  foothold  has  been  gained  all  other  ben- 
efits in  their  behalf  sink  into  insignificance  compared  with  it. 

Everywhere  I  found  a  sincere  desire  for  the  reoccupation  of  Alaska 
by  the  military,  more  probably  in  the  fact  that  it  represented  some 
permanent  form  of  law  and  order  than  any  anticipated  trouble  from 
Indians.  The  unsolicited  expressions  conveying  these  desires,  often 
the  first  part  and  burden  of  the  conversation,  were  too  prominent  and 
general  not  to  be  genuine.  In  fact,  it  was  their  prominence  and  from 
evident  desires  of  citizens  that  this  paragraph  finds  its  way  into  my 
report,  for  it  formed  no  part  of  my  instructions.  The  almost  total  lack 
of  civil  and  criminal  law  in  Alaska  is  also  beyond  my  province,  except 
so  far  as  it  might  possibly  affect  the  military  if  called  upon ;  but  no  good 
citizen  can  visit  the  Territory  and  see  the  many  evils  resulting  there- 
from without  at  least  noting  them  as  a  fact,  whatever  may  be  the  object 
of  his  visit. 

In  closing  this  general  account  of  the  Thlinkits  I  shall  give  a  very 
brief  summary  of  the  principal  tribes  not  visited  and  described  in  full, 
using  the  best  data  obtainable. 

The  Hydas  or  Haidahs  inhabit  the  southern  part  of  the  Alexander 
Archipelago  and  the  northern  part  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  Archipelago 
(the  northwestern  outlying  islands  of  British  Columbia),  and  number 
about  500  in  Alaska  Territory,  one-third  of  whom,  as  with  the  rest  of 
the  Thlinkits,  may  be  considered  warriors.  There  are  two  main  villages 
of  them,  the  Kaiaganies  near  Kaigau  Harbor,  and  the  Kliarakans  near 
the  Gulf  of  Kliarakan. 

The  Hennegas,  in  and  around  Cape  Pole,  number  probably  350  to 
400. 


10  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

The  Cliatsinas,  not  far  from  the  hitter  and  numbering  probably  a 
tritie  more.  The  hist  two  are  reported  to  be  more  peaceful  than  the 
former,  who  are  credited  with  havinj;  murdered  the  crew  of  a  small 
tradinj;  vessel  visiting  their  country. 

The  Kakes  (Kakus)  already  noted,  who  occupy  the  Kuprianoflf  Island, 
the  greater  majority  of  whom  are  concentrated  on  the  northwestern 
part,  in  and  around  the  vilhige  of  Klukwan.  There  are  estimated  to  be 
between  800  and  1,200  souls.  They  are  one  of  the  most  warlike  bauds 
of  the  Thliiddts. 

The  Kous  or  Koos,  uumberiug  600  to  700,  are  very  similar  to  the 
Kakes  in  disposition,  and  occupy  the  shores  of  Kou  Island,  just  west  of 
the  Kuprianoff  Island,  with  their  principal  village  (Kou  or  Koo)  directly 
opposite  Klukwan,  the  Kake  viUage,  and  almost  in  sight  of  it. 

The  Sundowns  (or  Soundun)  and  Takos,  numbering  350  to  450,  who 
live  on  the  mainland  from  about  Tako  Kiver  to  Prince  Frederick  Sound, 
their  principal  villages  being  Shuk  and  Sundown  or  Sounduu,  both  on 
Stephen's  Passage. 

The  Hoodsuahoos,  numbering  750  to  000,  who  live  along  the  northern 
shores  of  Chatham  Strait. 

Besides  these  there  are  the  Asonques  and  others  of  less  importance 
and  of  whom  but  little  is  known. 

We  left  the  Cape  Fox  Cannery  in  Boca  de  Quadra  Inlet  shortly  after 
noon  of  the  29th  of  May,  and  proceeded  towards  Wraugell,  which  is  on 
the  northern  part  of  an  island  of  the  same  name,  arriving  there  at  4.30 
a.  m.  on  the  30th.  Near  here  was  Fort  Wrangell,  one  of  the  three  posts 
formerly  occupied  by  the  military.  The  Indians  in  and  around  this 
point  are  Stickeens,  described  under  the  head  of  Indian  tribes.  Their 
immediate  village  lies  on  the  rocky  beach  just  east  of  the  town,  and  is 
of  the  usual  stereotyped  Thlinkit  character,  a  row  of  log  buildings  be- 
tween high-tide  and  dense  timber,  with  gable  ends  facing  these,  and 
back  of  them  the  graves  of  the  medicine-men,  all  others  being  burned, 
I  believe,  while  in  front  are  the  totem  poles,  signifying  the  ''family 
tree,"  of  the  particular  cabin  dweller  before  whose  door  they  stand. 

Wrangell  itself  is  not  much  less  rickety  in  appearance  than  the  Indian 
village  alongside,  and  is  kept  alive  by  the  miners  passing  to  and  from 
the  Cassiar  mines  on  the  Stickeen  River  within  the  British  Possessions. 
Many  of  these  miners  also  winter  here,  and  there  is  much  more  business 
done  than  its  lifeless  appearance  would  indicate. 

We  left  Wrangell  at  8  a.  m.,  rounded  Cape  Ommaney,  the  southern 
cape  of  Baranoff  Island,  between  5  and  6  p.  m.,  en  route  to  Sitka,  where 
we  arrived  at  5  o'clock  next  morning,  May  31.  Baranoff  Island,  with 
Sitka  on  its  seaward  face,  is  the  land  of  the  Sitka  Indians,  a  tribe  de- 
scribed in  full  in  the  proper  subhead.  Sitka  Harbor  is  one  of  the  best 
in  Alaska  Territory,  and  while  the  channel  is  a  little  tortuous,  once 
within  it  is  finely  protected  by  an  outlying  chain  of  islands  and  reefs. 
The  old  Russian  barracks  at  this  place  were  once  occupied  by  troops 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  11 

and  are  still  kept  in  good  order,  and  furnished  ample  shelter  to  the  ma- 
rines of  the  man  of-war  stationed  in  Alaskan  waters  under  the  orders 
of  the  Treasury  Department.  Like  all  points  facing  directly  on  the  Pa- 
cific coast  of  this  continent,  and  which  are  under  the  influence  of  the 
deflected  Japanese  current,  its  climate  is  much  more  equable  both  sum- 
mer and  winter  than  corresponding  points  inland  and  on  the  Atlantic 
coast.  The  mean  summer  temperature,  as  shown  by  nearly  twenty  years' 
observations,  is  a  little  below  "  temperate "  on  the  Fahrenheit  scale, 
while  the  mean  for  the  winter  is  about  "freezing"  on  the  same  scale. 

The  wreck  of  the  Eureka  in  Peril  Straits,  just  north  of  Baranoff  Island, 
was  visited  in  order  to  leave  some  wrecking  machinery,  and  a  good 
chance  was  had  to  visit  the  shore  and  get  a  general  idea  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  land.  The  rugged  inequality  of  the  land,  its  constant  inter- 
section by  channels  of  the  sea,  large  and  small,  have  all  been  dwelt  upon. 
Viewed  from  these  channels  nothing  is  seen  but  a  dense  growth  of  dark 
evergreens,  covering  the  steep  mountain-sides,  and  oue  would  think 
from  the  great  incline  that  it  would  be  at  least  well  drained  and  dry. 
But  even  here  there  is  a  thick  spongy  covering  of  moss,  amply  saturated 
with  the  numerous  rills  trickling  down  the  hill,  and  which  makes  climb- 
ing more  than  doubly  laborious.  It  covers  dead  logs,  quaking  bogs, 
and  slippery  shale  or  shingle,  and  persons  cannot  tell  when  they  will 
receive  a  severe  fall  or  sink  in  up  to  their  knees,  if  not  farther.  Ouce 
on  top  of  the  hills,  a  few  openings  clear  of  timber  are  found,  but  if  any- 
thing the  bog  is  deeper,  the  moss  thicker,  and  a  luxurious  growth  of 
aquatic  plants  and  bushes  often  conceal  the  innumerable  small  ponds 
connected  by  a  network  of  sluggish  channels  of  oozy  mud.  Here  bear, 
deer,  or  mountain  goats  may  be  encountered,  but  from  the  difficulties 
presented  Indians  or  white  men  do  very  little  hunting.  Every  one  trav- 
els by  water  and  by  water  alone. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  about  4  p.  m.,  we  reached  Killisnoo,  in  Chatham 
Straits.  Killisnoo  was  formerly  a  whaling  station  of  the  Northwest 
Trading  Company,  and  has  been  converted  into  a  cod-fishing  station, 
which  must  be  remunerative  from  the  improvements  they  are  making. 
A  large  pile  dock,  probably  the  finest  in  Alaska,  gives  easy  access  to 
their  buildings  on  the  land.  Directly  opposite  this  is  the  village  of  the 
Kootznahoo  Indians  (described  farther  on  in  full),  and  the  site  picked 
out  by  the  late  Brevet  Maj.  Gen.  Jeff.  C.Davis,  colonel  Twenty-third 
Infantry,  as  the  best  in  the  archipelago  for  a  military  post.  Since  that 
date  its  importance  for  such  an  object  has  become  more  marked  by  the 
geographical  distribution  of  the  new  industries  springing  up  in  this  part 
of  Alaska.  A  great  many  of  the  Kootznahoo  Indians  had  their  faces 
blackened,  a  fact  1  noticed  among  a  number  of  other  tribes  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent,  which  was  explained  as  being  a  protection  from  the  bright 
glare  of  the  waters  while  fishing  on  them. 

Twelve  hours'  run  from  Killisnoo,  almost  due  north,  brought  us  to 
Pyramid  Harbor  in  Chilkat  Inlet  at  the  head  of  Lynn  Channel.     Here 


12  MILITAKY    KH(;ONNAl.SSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

tlii'ic  are  two  salinoii  caiinoiit's,  recently  erected,  one  on  either  side  of 
the  iidet,  witli  j^ood  prospects  that  I  have  since  heard  have  been  fully 
verilied.  1  dis('inl)arked  my  jtarty  at  Pyramid  Harbor  at  the  lai-ge  can- 
nery of  the  Northwest  Trading'  C«)mpany  on  the  west  side  of  the  inlet, 
and  everythinji:  was  done  by  Mr.  Carl  Spuhn,  its  sni)erintendeiit.,  to 
facilitate  my  movements  in  tliis  vi(;inity,  and  to  assnre  the  success  of 
my  expedition  in  the  future,  and  his  aid  was  of  the  most  serviceable 
character. 

]My  instructions,  •'  to  endeavor  to  complete  all  information  m  each  sec- 
tion of  the  country  before  i)roceeding  to  another,  in  order  that  should 
time  not  permit  the  full  completion  of  this  work  it  may  be  taken  up  the 
following:  season,"  had  induced  me  to  choose  the  valley  of  the  Yukon 
Kiver  as  that  district  of  the  most  importance  in  the  Territory  and  of 
which  little  or  nothing  w^as  known  in  a  military  sense.  The  slow  prog- 
ress that  had  been  made  in  previous  explorations  from  its  mouth,  fight- 
ing its  swift  current,  led  me  to  think  that  this  obstacle  could  be  made 
to  subserve  my  purpose  in  descending  it  from  its  head  if  it  could  be 
reached  under  favorable  cn^cumstances.  Also  the  fact  that  I  was  in 
general  exi)ected  to  complete  any  chosen  district  in  a  single  summer  had 
weight  in  investigating  the  \'ukon  Kiver  from  this  end.  There  are  some 
three  or  four  passes  through  the  coast  range  of  Alaskan  mountains 
leading  from  the  inland  passages  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  to  the  sources  of 
the  Yukon  River,  one  of  which,  called  the  Taliko,  I  believe  had  been 
crossed  by  Mr.  Byrnes,  a  practical  miner,  who,  employed  by  the  West- 
ern Union  Telegrai)h  Company  in  1807,  made  this  journey  as  far  as 
Lake  Tahko  of  my  map,  coming  down  the  river,  uuirked  coming  in  on  its 
south  side,  and  was  here  recalled  by  a  courier  sent  by  the  com[)any,  who 
had  abandoned  the  enterprise  owing  to  the  success  of  the  Atlantic 
cable. 

No  surveyed  map  was  made  of  this  journey  or  ever  demanded  by  his 
employers,  as  near  as  I  can  learn,  and  if  the  rest  is  as  inaccurate  as  the 
part  he  has  furnished  from  memory,  and  which  I  afterwards  visited  in 
small  part,  this  route  is  still  open  for  exploration. 

The  Lynn  Channel,  at  its  head,  divides  into  two  deep  inlets  the  Chil- 
kat  and  Chilkoot,  each  receiving  rivers  at  their  heads,  and  from  these 
valleys  lead  out  trails  that  reach  different  sources  of  the  Yukon  River, 
and  that  have  been  known  to  have  been  traveled  by  the  Chilkat  and 
Chilkoot  Indians,  respectively,  for  many  years  in  the  past,  the  object 
of  these  expeditions  being  to  trade  with  the  interior  Indians,  the  Tahk- 
heesh,  or,  as  the  white  men  call  them,  the  "  Sticks." 

Over  the  first  pass  (the  Chilkat)  to  the  head  of  the  Tahkheena  the 
onlj' explorer  to  traverse  it  has  been  Dr.  Krause,  of  Berlin,  sent  out  by 
the  Bremen  Geographical  Society  to  make  explorations  and  especially 
ethnological  collections  in  the  Schukchi  Peninsula  of  Siberia  and  Alaska. 
Since  returning,  I  also  learn  by  his  report  to  that  society  that  he  had 
traversed  the  Chilkoot  Pass.     These  maps,  like  all  work  done  by  the 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  13 

Kranse  Brothers,  were  of  tlie  most  excellent  character  and  valuable  for 
future  reference.  They  appear  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Bremen  Geo- 
graphical Society  for  1882,  and  should  be  copied  and  kept  ou  file  in  the 
proper  ottice  of  these  headquarters.  From  Indian  reports  I  understand 
that  it  takes  about  twelve  days  for  them  to  make  this  Chilkat-Tahkheena 
portage,  carrying  their  effects  upon  their  backs,  but  once  over  this  long 
portage  the  Tahkheena  has  no  important  falls  or  rapids  from  the  lake 
at  its  head  to  its  junction  with  the  Yukon.  The  Chilkat  River  has  also 
a  trail  at  its  head  leading  over  to  the  stream  emptying  into  Yukatat 
Bay,  which  tl>e  Indians  make,  loaded  as  described,  in  about  fifteen  to 
eighteen  days.  I  was  told  by  one,  who  is  undoubtedly  good  authority, 
tliat  these  two  trails  were  the  only  ones  used  by  the  Chilkats  going  from 
the  inlet  and  river  of  the  same  name  back  into  the  interior,  theChilkoot 
trail  being  monopolized  by  the  Chilkoot  Indians,  although  they  are  a  sort 
of  independent  subtribe  of  the  Chilkats  and  often  associated  with  them 
iu  descriptions  and  in  reality  closely  interwoven.  The  Chilkoot  trail 
leads  up  the  inlet  to  a  branch  one  called  the  Dayay  and  through  it  to 
the  mouth  of  a  river  of  the  same  name,  thence  to  its  head  and  across 
the  mountains  to  one  of  the  sources  of  the  Yukon,  and  requires  only 
three  or  four  days  to  be  made,  its  disdvantages  being  the  three  or 
four  caiions,  rapids,  or  cascades  that  obstruct  that  part  of  the  river  to 
which  it  leads.  It  was  the  route  taken  by  my  purty  and  is  described 
more  in  detail  in  the  running  account  of  the  voyage.  Over  it  the  Chil- 
kats were  not  only  allowed  to  travel,  but  the  Indians  of  the  interior,  the 
Tahkheesh  or  "Sticks,"  are  permitted  to  cross  out  to  the  Pacific  waters, 
a  blockade  once  thoroughly  maintained  against  them  by  both  Chilkats 
and  Chilkoots  over  their  respective  passes.  Mining  j^arties,  in  small 
numbers,  had  also  crossed  this  trail  iu  order  to  prospect  the  headwaters 
of  the  Yukon  for  valuable  minerals,  but  as  far  as  any  results  were  ob- 
tained, outside  of  their  imposed  labors,  nothing  had  been  gained  by 
their  attempts  ;  still  their  adventurous  efforts  should  receive  the  highest 
commendation,  for  hadthej"  been  or  should  they  be  successful  in  devel- 
oping rich  mineral  in  this  section  of  the  country  (which  must  be  limited 
in  its  industries  to  minerals  and  fisheries),  they  would  do  a  practical 
good  only  to  be  measured  by  the  value  of  the  discoveries. 

The  Indian  packers  over  these  mountain  jjasses  usually  carry  100 
pounds,  although  one  I  had  walked  along  readily  with  127,  and  a  miner 
informed  me  that  his  party  employed  one  that  carried  160.  The  cost  of 
carriage  of  a  pack  (100  i>ounds)  over  the  Chilkoot  trail  for  miners  has 
been  from  $9  to  $12,  and  the  Indians  were  not  inclined  to  see  me  over 
at  any  reduced  rates,  despite  the  large  amount  of  material  required  to 
be  transported,  some  2  tons.  By  giving  them  two  loads,  or  doubling 
the  time  over  the  portage,  a  slight  reduction  could  be  had,  not  worth 
the  time  lost  in  such  an  arrangement,  and  I  made  contracts  with  enough 
of  them  to  carry  my  effects  over  at  once.  Mr.  Spuhn  was  also  very  ener- 
getic in  his  efforts  to  secure  for  me  better  terms  but  without  avail,  and 


14  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

after  1  li;ul  crossed  the  trail  I  in  no  way  blamed  the  Indians  for  their 
stubbornness  in  nuiintainin<jj  what  seemed  at  Urst  sij;ht  to  be  exorbitant, 
aud  Duly  wondered  that  they  would  do  this  extremely  fatiguing  labor 
so  reasonably. 

The  head  chief  of  the  Crow  clan  of  the  Chilkats  had  died  about  the 
time  of  my  arrival,  and  his  sumptuous  funeral,  conducted  iu  a  village 
about  15  milies  above  Pyramid  ITarbor,  stretched  over  several  days  of 
feasting  and  orgies  before  his  body  was  to  be  burned  on  a  funeral  pyre, 
seriously  threatened  to  delay  my  expedition  getting  away,  but  I  do  not 
think  we  lost  over  a  day  thereby. 

The  party  jiot  away  at  9.50  a.  m.,  iu  a  large  skiff'  and  nine  or  ten 
canoes  towed  by  the  launch  "Louise,"  belonging  to  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany, the  latter  carrying  the  heavy  effects  and  the  former  mostly  loaded 
with  the  Indians,  some  forty  to  forty-five  in  number,  intended  as  packers. 
The  course  was  down  (south)  the  Chilkat  Inlet  around  Point  Seduction 
aud  up  (north)  the  Chilkoot  Inlet  to  the  Chilkoot  mission,  now  occupied 
by  the  Kev.  Mr.  Willard  and  family  as  a  missionary  station  and  school, 
and  was  formerly  the  trading  station  of  the  Northwest  Company  until 
their  cannery  was  established  in  the  Chilkat  Inlet.  I  walked  across  the 
narrow  peninsula  separating  the  two  iulets  about  3  miles,  I  believe,  and 
found  it  well  wooded,  the  trees  doing  well  enough  for  sawing  timber  if 
required.  There  was  grass  4  aud  5  feet  high  on  the  trail,  aud  the  innu- 
merable flowers  in  bloom  looked  very  much  unlike  the  general  idea 
of  Alaska,  until  the  mountains  that  surround  these  little  valleys  were 
brought  in  view  with  their  tops  aud  gulches  buried  iu  snow  and  glacier 
ice. 

At  Chilkoot  mission  four  or  five  canoes  with  the  usual  complement  of 
Indians  (about  twenty  Chilkoots)  were  attached  to  the  already  long 
chain,  and  at  2.15  p.  m.  got  away  up  the  Chilkoot  lulet.  Shortly  after 
we  entered  the  Dayay  Inlet,  an  arm  of  the  former,  aud  at  6  o'clock  p.  m. 
reached  its  head  where  the  Dayay  River  comes  in.  Here  the  effects 
were  lightered  ashore  in  the  canoes  and  skiff",  aud  the  launch  returned. 
Before  camping,  the  stores  and  supplies  were  put  in  canoes  aud 
"  tracked  up  "  the  river  about  a  mile,  the  mouth  of  the  stream  being 
really  but  a  complex  mass  of  miul  fiats,  here  deposited  by  the  river  and 
held  back  by  the  tides  and  prevailing  southern  storms.  A  short  dis- 
tance above  the  new  camp  (No.  2)  a  camp  of  Tahk-heesh  or  "Stick" 
was  found,  and  I  employed  a  few  to  complete  my  quota,  aud  also  to  re- 
lieve those  that  had  brought  along  squaws,  their  wives,  to  do  their 
complement  of  the  hard  work,  these  poor  creatures  receiving  nothing 
for  their  labor.  Also  a  spare  one  was  secured  in  case  of  sickness  in 
such  a  large  force. 

The  Dayay  Inlet  and  valley  is  of  the  same  general  character  as  the 
inland  passages  of  the  archipelago,  a  river-like  inlet  between  high  hills 
covered  with  spruce  and  pine  nearly  to  the  top,  the  latter  predominat- 
ing in  the  lower  levels  the  former  in  the  higher,  aud  capped  with  barren 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  15 

granite  mountaius,  covered  ou  the  toi)  and  in  the  gulclies  with  snow  and 
glaciers,  which  furnish  water  for  innumerable  cascades  and  waterfalls. 
These  glaciers  ou  the  mountain-tops  become  better  marked  as  the  river 
is  ascended.  One  on  the  west  tide  of  the  Dayay  may  be  said  to  com- 
mence opposite  the  mouth  of  that  stream,  if  not  before,  and  continue 
along  it  some  10  or  12  miles  until  its  outline  could  no  longer  be  followed 
in  the  fog  and  mist  that  nearly  always  cling  to  their  faces,  especially 
during  the  warm  summer  months,  when  the  atmosphere  charged  with 
moisture  from  the  warm  waters  of  the  near  Pacitic  is  driven  against  them 
by  the  sea  breezes. 

The  Oregon  blue  grouse  could  be  heard  hooting  in  the  woods,  and  in  the 
quiet  evenings  a  perfect  chorus  of  them  filled  the  air.  Trout  had  been 
caught  in  the  fish-weirs  of  the  "  Stick  "  Indians,  and  offered  us  for  sale,  al- 
though the  most  persistent  fishing  the  whole  length  of  the  river  with  both 
fly  and  bait  was  unrewarded.  This  may  be  due  to  the  discoloration  of 
the  water  by  a  whitish  mud  ground  off  the  mountain  sides  by  the  glaciers 
cutting  through  calcareous  rock.  The  tracks  of  black  bear,  fresh  and 
old,  were  very  numerous,  and  one  was  seen  but  not  secured.  The  val- 
ley of  the  Bayay,  like  so  many  in  this  part  of  Alaska,  would  make  a 
favorite  summer  camp  for  those  officers  and  men  who  wished  to  break 
away  for  a  while  from  the  routine  monotony  of  garrison  life.  Mountain 
goats  and  deer  can  also  be  added  to  the  game  list.  From  the  foot  of 
the  steep  mountaius  on  one  side  of  the  Dayay  Valley  to  the  other — about 
one-half  to  three-fourths  of  a  mile — the  river  bed  and  the  valley  is  filled 
with  great  bars  of  bowlders,  sand,  and  coarse  gravel,  with  here  and 
there  groves  of  poplars,  willows  of  several  varieties,  and  birch.  The 
river  is  very  swift,  averaging  from  30  to  75  yards  in  width  to  the  head  of 
canoe  navigation  in  a  cascade  10  miles  from  its  mouth,  although  half  as 
far  again  j)robably  by  the  stream,  winding  from  one  side  to  the  other  of 
its  narrow  valley.  It  often  breaks  into  many  channels,  and  occasionally 
a  fording  place  for  footmen  can  be  found  in  wide  shallow  rapids.  To 
the  head  of  canoe  navigation  most  of  the  party's  effects  were  "tracked" 
in  canoes,  although  those  Indians  not  having  these  craft  were  com- 
pelled to  at  once  commence  carrying  their  loads  upon  their  backs,  their 
ungenerous  companions  not  allowing  them  the  use  of  their  canoes,  al- 
though as  far  as  I  could  see  it  would  have  entailed  no  extra  labor  to 
have  done  so.  That  it  was  mere  selfishness  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  I 
knew  several  of  them  even  refused  to  ferry  their  loads  across  the  stream, 
thus  forcing  the  packer  to  a  devious  route  to  some  fording  place,  or 
even  over  the  mountain  spurs  to  avoid  it  altogether.  lu  cases  of  sick- 
ness of  companions  they  are  no  better,  stoutly  demanding  a  share  of 
the  spoils,  and  I  had  no  occasion  to  regret  my  spare  packer  taken  along 
for  such  emergencies.  These  restrictions  apply  to  the  Chilkats  and 
Chilkoots,  the  Tahk-heesh  or  "Stick"  Indians  forming  a  commendable 
contrast,  their  reasonable  and  humane  conduct  to  each  other  being  no- 


16 


MILITARY    RKCONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


ticcd  wlu'icvor  tliey  wi-re  encountered,  IVoin  here  nearly  to  old  Fort 
Selkirk. 

Directly  at  the  head  of  canoe  navijiation  there  is  no  f?ood  camjMng 
place,  and  our  camp  (No.  3)  was  made  about  a  mile  short  of  the  cascade 
that  marks  it.  We  white  men  had  been  compelled  to  wade  the  river  a 
number  of  times  to  reach  it,  but  our  spare  packer  had  been  used  as  a 
means  of  transportation,  his  lejjs  being-  more  used  to  the  ice-water  just 
from  the  jjlacier  beds  on  the  hill-tops. 

After  going  into  camp  the  greater  majority  of  the  Indians  spent  their 
spare  time  in  gambling  at  a  game  called  la-hell,  in  which  there  was  a  free 
interchange  of  dirty  clothing  and  prospective  wealth  accruing  from  this 
particular  trip,  their  orgies  and  rude  savage  songs  often  las-ting  i)ast 
midnight.  This,  combined  with  the  Pompeiian  pictures  engraved  on 
their  rude  birch-bark  hats,  showed  that  they  were  still  open  for  mis- 
sionary eflbrt. 

About  2J  miles  beyond  the  head  of  canoe  navigation  on  the  Daj'ay 
the  Jfourse  Eiver  comes  in  from  the  west,  and  althougli  receiving  a 
different  name  by  the  Indians  (the  Kut-lah-cook-ah)  is  really  the  great- 
est in  breadth  and  volume  of  water  of  the  two  forks.  The  valley  of 
the  Nourse  is  alpine  and  i)icturesque  beyond  descrii)tion.  A  large  lake 
is  found  at  its  head  according  to  Indian  authority,  a  system  of  sources 
quite  common  among  the  rivers  of  this  mountainous  part  of  the  coun- 
try. A  short  distance  bej'ond  the  mouth  of  this  west  fork  camp  l^o. 
4  was  established  near  some  perpendicular  blocks  of  basalt  rock,  and  in 
view  of  another  glacier  extending  down  between  the  two  rivers.  Here 
a  dense  grove  of  small  firs  near  the  river  bank  kept  a  number  of  the  In- 
dians busy  cutting  long,  slender  fishing-poles,  which  they  put,  away  in 
secure  i)laces  to  be  taken  home  ujton  their  return  from  my  expedition. 
These  poles,  when  seasoned,  are  pointed  with  a  double-barbed  gig,  like 
the  one  shown  in  the  figure,  and  which  is  a  very  common  fisliing  in- 
strument among  all  the  natives  of  sub-Arctic  America. 


Fig.  3. 


Up  to  camp  4  the  labor  had  been  very  light,  even  for  tlie  packers, 
believing  it  to  be  a  fair  indication  of  the  trail  ahead,  I  had  come 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  17 

to  the  concliisiou  that  their  high  charges  were  exorbitant  and  the  port- 
age very  easy  to  be  made. 

Ou  the  10th  the  party  started  at  7.30  a.  m.,  the  trail  leaving  the  nar- 
row valley,  oftentimes  not  wider  than  the  river  bed  itself,  and  leading 
np  over  the  mountain  spnrs  of  the  eastern  Side  of  the  stream.  The  in- 
land walking  has  already  been  described,  and  the  present  was  no  im- 
provement on  it  in  any  particular.  Occasionally  the  path  would  debouch 
into  the  river-bed  wherever  it  was  wide  enough  to  give  a  mile  or  two 
of  walking  and  wading,  and  then  would  strike  over  the  mountain  sides 
again.  At  places  on  the  latter  it  would  be  very  easy  to  lose  the  trail 
where  they  followed  for  long  distances  over  great  winrowsand  avalanches 
of  broken  bowlders  and  shattered  stones  varying  in  size  from  a  person's 
head  to  the  size  of  a  small  house.  These  grand  barricades  of  bowlders, 
more  often  of  crescentic  shape  across  the  course  of  some  steep  gulch  or 
ravine,  are  of  very  recent  origin,  as  shown  by  their  often  embedding 
willow  and  birch  trees  not  over  twenty  to  thirty  or  forty  years  old  and 
still  alive,  half  way  up  to  their  tops  or  10  to  20  feet  from  their  original 
stumps. 

Although  the  distance  to  camp  5  was  but  a  little  over  10  miles,  it 
was  fully  equal  to  30  miles  over  an  ordinary  road,  and  consumed  twelve 
hours  in  passing  over  it,  the  greater  part  of  this  time,  however,  being 
occupied  in  resting  from  the  extreme  fatigue  incurred  while  traveling 
over  short  but  severe  stretches.  The  last  few  hundred  yards  was  over 
snow  banks,  and  with  the  pass  through  the  coast  mountains  directly 
ahead  of  us  covered  with  snow  to  our  feet.  This  camp  5  is  at  what  is 
known  among  the  Indians  traversing  this  pass  as  the  "  stone  house," 
but  is  really  only  a  jumbled  mass  of  huge  bowlders  so  thrown  together 
that  the  natives  can  crawl  under  them  and  find  sleeping  places  without 
being  in  contact  with  the  snow. 

Nothing  could  show  the  endurance  of  these  Indians  better  than  to 
state  a  fact  that  occurred  after  going  into  camp  at  this  place.  A  mount- 
ain goat  was  seen  on  the  highest  ridges  of  the  mountains  to  the  west 
of  the  valley,  some  2,000  to  2,500  feet  above  our  position,  and  was  im- 
mediately hunted  by  one  of  the  Indian  packers,  who  passed  around  him 
and  came  back  upon  his  position,  frightening  him,  however,  before  he 
could  get  a  shot.  He  then  chased  the  animal,  almost  keeping  up  with 
him,  down  into  the  valley  where  we  camped,  and  up  the  steep  mountain 
slopes  of  the  eastern  side,  equally  as  high  as  those  mentioned,  and  all 
this  immediately  after  he  had  carried  over  a  hundred  pounds  across  the 
trail  which  has  been  described. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  Indians  and  white  party  were  under  way 
on  June  11,  shortly  after  5  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  the  pass 
through  the  mountains  directly  ahead  at  once  essayed,  and  so  steep 
and  difficult  was  it  that  it  was  not  before  10  o'clock  that  morning  that  we 
had  reached  the  crest,  4,100  feet  above  the  sea-level  and  probably  3,000 
feet  above  camp  5,  although  the  distance  gained  forward  could  not 
S.  Ex.  2 2 


18 


Mll.lTAin'    in:C()N\AISSAN'CK    IN    ALASKA. 


have  been  iiuu'li  over  L*  miles.  It  seemed  marvelous  beyond  measure 
liow  these  small  Indians,  not  avera^injj;^,  I  believe,  over  140  i)ounds  each, 
could  carry  10(»  pounds  up  such  a  precipitous  mountain,  alternately  on 
steeply  inclined  jilacial  snow  aiul  treacherous  rounded  bowlders,  where 
a  misstep  in  many  i)laces  could  have  hurled  theui  hundreds  of  feet 
down  the  slope  or  precipices.  The  stunted  branches  of  trailiufj  vines 
and  their  roots,  and  even  on  their  hands  and  knees,  were  often  used  in 
the  steepest  ascents.  Many  of  them  had  rough  alpenstocks  cut  in  the 
Dayay  Valley  with  which  they  steadied  themselves  in  bad  jjlaces,  and 
on  the  snow  covering  the  mountain  sides  trails  were  madeby  advance 
parties  arranging  footholds  inclining  inwards  before  essaying  them 
with  their  i)acks. 

1  would  state  here  for  the  information  of  the  department  commander 
that  photographs  taken  by  the  drj-plate  amateur  process  were  secured 
at  such  places  as  were  of  interest  and  the  time  and  method  of  trans- 
porting would  allow.  Mr.  Homan,  topographical  assistant,  acted  as  pho- 
tographer. The  ])lates,  originally  5  by  8  inches,  have  been  compelled 
to  be  trimmed  down  to  the  size  submitted  herewith,  owing  to  some  de- 
fect in  the  camera  or  lens  in  not  extending  the  view  fully  to  the  edges 


of  the  plate.  Many  of  the  plates  are  defective,  as  will  be  seen  by  in- 
spection, and  are  only  tit  to  be  used  by  artists  in  securing  accurate 
sketches  of  the  country  or  incidents  portrayed.  I  have  since  learned 
from  a  professional  photographer,  Mr.  Davidson,  of  Portland,  Oreg.,  who 
has  develoi)ed  my  plates — forty-two  in  number — that  considering  the 
brand  and  reputation  of  the  plates  used,  the  cheap  character  of  the  pho- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


19 


tographic  apparatus,  and  tlie  rough  nature  of  such  an  exploration,  with 
its  crude  transportation,  that  the  photograj)her  deserves  the  greatest 
credit  for  doing  so  well  under  such  circumstances.  I  would  like  to  add 
that  no  expedition  for  obtaining  information  of  any  character  should 
be  sent  to  such  an  isolated  and  imperfectly  understood  country  as 
Alaska  without  a  photographic  apparatus  and  accessories  of  the  very 
best  character,  and  with  a  good  trained  manager  for  the  same  if  pos- 
sible.    The  greatest  good  to  be  obtained  is  too  evident  for  discussion. 

Figure  4,  given  above,  is  a  view  of  camp  1,  at  Chilkat  Alaska,  look- 
ing directly  against  the  bold  bluff"  back  of  the  cannery  of  the  Northwest 
Company. 

After  departing  from  Chilkat  but  two  of  the  tents  were  used,  or  car- 
ried along,  and  a  great  deal  of  the  heavier  and  less  useful  baggage  left 
in  charge  of  Mr.  Carl  Spuhn,  at  the  cannery.  Back  of  the  center,  be- 
tween the  two  middle  tents,  can  be  seen  a  bank  of  snow  (June  6, 1883), 
and  in  such  jjrotected  places  these  can  be  seen  the  year  round,  even  at 
the  sea-level,  and  in  positions  well  separated  from  glaciers,  where  they 
would  be  expected  to  be  found. 

Fig.  5  represents  a  view^  from  same  standpoint  as  No.  2,  but  looking 
northward  up  Dayay  Valley.  Below  the  mist  and  fog  covering  the  gla- 
cier of  the  mountain  can  be  seen  a  small  finger  of  the  Saussure  glacier 
putting  down  a  little  farther  than  usual. 


Fig.  5. 


The  i^acking  over  the  pass  (named  Perrier  Pass)  was  of  the  most 
severe  Alpine  character  of  climbing,  suj^plemeuted  by  the  immense 
loads  already  described. 

After  leaving  the  notch  in  the  pass,  the  hills  or  mountains  still  tow- 


20  MILITAKV     KKCOXNAISSANCK     IS    ALASKA. 

erin<;'  troin  1,000  to  L*,000  I'eet  on  eitlior  side,  as  near  as  could  be  rou<;lily 
estimated  tliroujih  the  driftinf;  fofj,  and  buried  in  glacier  ice,  the  descent 
for  the  tirst  two-thirds  of  a  mile  is  tolerably  raj)id  on  to  a  lake,  possibly 
an  extinct  crater,  which  it  closely  resembles,  called  Crater  Lake,  of  about 
100  acres  in  extent,  and  which  the  Indians  told  nie,  and  which  surround- 
ings corroborate,  is  the  head  of  the  Yukon  River.  This  lake  was  still 
frozen  over  (June  11),  and  the  ice  covered  with  snow  in  a  melting  con- 
dition. 

I  noticed  that  day  that  tlie  Indians  in  following  a  trail  on  snow  up 
hill,  or  on  a  level,  or  even  a  slight  descent  always  follow  in  each  other's 
tracks  as  much  as  possible,  so  that  my  large  packing  train  made  a  trail 
that  could  easily  be  accounted  for  by  supposing  that  only  five  or  six  In- 
dians had  passed  over  it.  When  going  down  a  steep  descent,  however, 
each  one  makes  his  own  separate  and  distinct  trail,  and  they  scatter  out 
over  many  yards.  I  thought  this  worth  recording  in  estimating  their 
numbers  under  such  circumstances. 

Some  G  to  8  miles  of  snow  was  passed  over  on  the  trail  that  day,  the 
entire  distance  traveled  being  about  15  miles,  reaching  camp  at  7  p.  m., 
the  distance  being  fully  equal  to  50  miles  of  walking  on  an  ordinary 
road.  In  manj'  places  before  reaching  camp  the  snow  bridge  over  the 
river  had  tumbled  in,  revealing  j)eri)eudicular  abutments  of  snow  banks 
often  20  to  25  feet  deep. 

Camp  G,  the  first  one  on  the  waters  of  the  Yukon  River,  was  on  a 
beautiful  Alpine  lake,  over  10  miles  long,  and  picturesque  beyond  de- 
scription. Here  the  greater  majority  of  the  hired  Indians  were  paid  ott 
between  7  and  9  p.  m.,  many  of  them  returning  that  night  over  the 
Kotusk  Mountains  to  the  head  of  the  Dayay  at  "  the  stone  houses,"  it 
being  light  enough  at  midnight,  especially  on  the  whitesnow,  to  see  the 
trail  perfectly. 

Tr  might  be  of  importance  in  a  military  sense  to  know  if  a  Govern- 
ment pack-train  of  mules  could  pass  over  the  trail  from  head  of  canoe 
navigation  on  the  Dayay  River,  or  even  the  mouth  of  that  stream  to 
Lake  Lindeman.  As  the  trail  now  stands,  or  as  we  passed  over  it,  I 
should  say  not ;  but  believe  one  could  be  possibly  found  by  a  competent 
person  inspecting  this  route  for  that  particular  jiurpose.  As  far  as  ''the 
stone  houses"  a  rough  trail  could  be  had  by  woodmen  clearing  it  at 
needed  intervals.  From  "  the  stone  houses"  to  Lake  Lindeman  the 
trail  would  depend  more  on  the  time  of  year  than  any  other  function,  it 
being  better  in  winter  when  the  snow  would  be  harder  than  the 
spring  or  summer,  although  in  these  seasons  I  do  not  look  on  a  trail  as 
impracticable,  if  a  proper  search  be  made  with  that  object  in  view.  The 
iact  that  the  country  beyond  Perrier  Pass,  in  the  Kotusk  Mountains, 
lies  in  British  territory  (as  shown  by  our  astronomical  observations  and 
other  geographical  determinations  when  brought  back  and  worked  out) 
lessens  the  interest  of  this  trail  beyond  the  pass  to  the  military  au- 
thorities of  our  Government. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  21 

On  Lake  Lindenian  there  were  a  couple  of  very  dilapidated  "  dug 
out"  canoes,  and  the  Tahk-heesh  or  "  Stick"  Indians  owning  them  rep- 
resenting that  the  lake  was  but  a  few  miles  in  length,  in  fact  just  around 
Cape  Koldewey,  of  the  map,  and  that  they  could  transport  all  my  goods 
in  two  days,  I  accepted  their  offer,  knowing  that  the  draining  river  of 
Lake  Lindeman  was  full  of  rocks,  rapids,  and  cascades,  which  a  raft, 
my  proposed  method  of  navigation,  would  not  pass  according  to  their 
testimony,  and  not  desiring  to  build  two  within  such  a  short  distance. 
A  continuous  gale  of  several  days  from  the  south  effectually  put  a  stop 
to  their  contract,  the  consequent  waves  on  the  lake  being  sufficient  to 
swamp  them  should  they  venture  in  such  rough  water.  Accordingly, 
the  13th  of  June,  about  noon,  the  party  commenced  building  the  raft, 
which  was  finished  the  next  evening,  on  a  plan  of  15  by  30  feet,  and  one 
deck  of  pine  poles  amidships,  Mr.  Homan  deserving  considerable  credit 
for  its  plan  and  superintending  its  construction,  all  the  white  men  doing 
well,  and  the  Indians  as  good  as  could  be  expected  from  their  well  known 
aversion  to  monotonous  work  of  routine  character. 

The  morning  of  the  loth  of  June  the  raft  was  tested  by  eleven  per- 
sons of  the  party  on  its  deck  and  found  to  be  inadequate  for  carrying  all 
the  effects  and  party,  owing  to  the  small  logs  of  dwarf  spruce  and  con- 
torted pine  with  which  the  builders  had  been  constrained  to  construct 
it.  About  half  the  effects  were  placed  on  board,  and  three  of  the  white 
party  put  in  charge,  a  wall-tent  si)read  for  a  sail,  and  at  9.20  a.  m.  she 
was  cast  loose  to  sail  the  length  of  the  lake,  which  she  did  by  3.15  in  the 
afternoon,  so  strong  was  the  wind  blowing.  Although  waves  fully  2  feet 
high  were  running,  so  well  were  the  effects  protected  by  canvas  above 
and  below,  and  so  high  was  the  ])ole  deck,  that  nothing  was  injured  by 
the  water  that  constantly  broke  across  the  raft.  Mr.  Homan,  Mr.  Mc- 
intosh, and  Corporal  Shircliff'  had  been  in  charge  of  her  during  this 
day.  The  remainder  of  the  party  walked  overland  by  the  eastern  shore, 
the  journey  being  very  fatiguing,  although  a  pack-train  trail  could  be 
made  here  with  a  little  work  in  shape  of  woodcraft.  The  remainder  of 
the  effects  were  brought  by  canoes  in  the  hands  of  my  own  Indians. 

I  might  add  here  that  from  the  Kotusk  Mountains,  along  the  part  of 
the  Yukon  Kiver  we  traveled,  as  far  as  its  junction  with  the  Pelly,  or 
at  old  Fort  Selkirk,  there  is  but  one  tribe  of  Indians,  the  Tahk-heesh 
or  "Sticks,"  and  these  are  described  in  their  proper  places.  There- 
fore that  much  of  the  journey,  nearly  500  miles,  if  described,  would  be  of 
more  value  to  geography  than  the  military,  and  I  shall  try  and  confine 
myself  to  that  part  of  this  section  which  will  illustrate  my  r.ift  journey, 
that  being  important  in  this  country  as  a  means  of  transportation,  the 
swiftness  of  the  rivers  and  their  general  freedom  from  obstructions 
being  conducive  to  the  employment  of  this  primitive  craft  in  traveling 
in  one  way. 

A  view  on  Lake  Lindeman,  looking  backward  from  Payer  Portage,  or 
southward  towards  the  Kotusk  Mountains,  the  higher  ridges  of  which? 


22 


.MILITARY    KKCONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


(•()V('n>(l  with  glacier  ice.  luive  (condensed  a  fofj  upon  tbeir  slopes  so  as 
t(»  be  iinisible.  About  half  the  len<;th  of  the  lake  is  visible.  The  draiu- 
iiiji'  rixcr  is  to  the  li^ht  lowei'  corner  of  \\n\  |)icture. 


Fk;  (1, 


Through  the  river  that  drains  Lake  Lindeman,  about  a  mile  and  a 
quarter  long,  before  it  empties  into  another  lake,  we  shot  the  raft, 
June  16,  losing  the  side  logs  and  giving  it  a  general  shaking  up  that 


MILITRRY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


23 


loosened  many  of  the  pins  and  lashings,  in  the  rapids,  cascades,  and 
over  the  rocks  and  bowlders,  on  one  of  which  it  stuck  and  had  to  be 
pried  off. 

The  next  two  days  were  consumed  in  repairing  the  raft  on  a  plan  of 
15  by  40  feet  (really  about  16  by  42,  counting  projections  not  included  in 
plan)  instead  of  15  by  30  feet  as  formerly,  while  two  pole  decks  were 
constructed  with  a  rowing  space  between  for  side  oars,  the  bow  and 
stern  oars  being  retained,  however;  larger  and  more  bouyantlogs  were 
placed  in,  but  unfortunately  none  could  be  secured  of  sufficient  size  to 
go  the  whole  length  of  the  craft  and  give  it  that  solidity  which  would 
be  so  much  desired  in  striking  sand,  gravel,  and  mud  bars,  or  water- 
logged timber  in  swift  currents,  or  sailing  across  lakes  in  rough  weather. 

The  portage  connecting  the  two  lakes  was  called  Payer  Portage,  and 
Fig.  7  is  a  view  looking  from  this  portage  westward  into  a  valley  of  a 
river  (Homan  River)  coming  in  from  that  direction,  and  is  given  as  a 
good  representation  of  the  valleys  in  this  particular  part  of  the  country. 


Fl.i.  8. 


Fig.  8  is  a  view  on  Payer  Portsige  (looking  north  along  the  trail)  and 
represents  a  Chilkat  Indian  with  two  ammunition  boxes  going  over  the 
portage.  The  amount  some  of  these  packers  will  carry  seems  marvelous 
and  makes  estimates  for  pack  mules  or  trails  therefor  seem  superfluous. 
Their  only  packing  gear  is  a  couple  of  bands,  one  passing  over  the 
forehead,  where  it  is  flattened  out  into  a  broad  strip,  and  the  other  over 
the  arms  and  across  the  breast;  the  two  meet  behind  on  a  level  with 
the  shoulder,  and  are  there  attached  to  lashings  more  or  less  intricate, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  material  to  be  transported.     If  a  box  or 


24 


MILITAUV    RECOXNAI.SSA.NCK    IX    ALASKA. 


stitV  ba;;,  tlio  breast-band  is  so  arraiif^ed  in  rcf^anl  to  leiijith  that  when 
the  elbow  is  phieed  against  it  (tlie  box)  tlie  strip  tits  ti<;litl.y  over  the 
extended  forearm  across  the  ])abn  of  the  hand  bent  backwards.  The 
headband  is  then  the  width  of  the  hand  beyond  this.  At  least  I  saw 
a  few  Indians  arranjjing  their  i)a(;ks  and  their  harness  according  to 
this  mode.  The  harness  proiter  will  not  weigh  over  a  pound,  and  the 
lashing  according  to  its  length.  The  strip  across  the  head  and  breast 
is  of  untanned  deer  skin  about  2  inches  wide,  witli  holes  or  slits  in  the 
ends  i)r<)te('ted  from  tearing  out  by  spindles  of  bone  or  ivory. 

^losquitoes  now  commenced  getting  very  numerous,  and  from  here 
to  the  mouth  of  the  river  they  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  worst  dis- 
comfort the  party  was  called  on  to  endure.  They  often  made  many  inves- 
tigations, usually  carried  on  in  explorations,  imi)ossil)le  of  execution, 
and  will  be  the  great  bane  to  this  country  should  the  mineral  discov- 
eries or  fisheries  ever  attempt  to  colonize  it.  1  have  never  seen  their 
equal  for  steady  and  constant  irritation  in  any  part  of  the  United  States, 
the  swamps  of  New  Jersey  and  the  sand  hills  of  Nebraska  not  excepted. 
It  was  only  when  the  wind  was  blowing  and  well  out  on  a  lake  or  wide 
portion  of  the  river  that  tlieir  abominable  torment  ceased. 


Fijc.  9. 

Fig.  9  is  a  view  from  the  northern  end  of  Payer  Portage  northward 
into  the  second  lake,  named  Lake  Bennett,  about  one-sixth  or  one- 
seventh  of  the  length  of  the  lake  being  seen,  it  being  about  30  miles 
long.  The  draining  river  from  Lake  Lindeman  comes  in  on  the  lower 
left  portion  of  the  view.  The  "  Iron  Capped  Mountains  "  on  the  right 
being  covered  with  glaciers  are  hidden  in  the  mist  these  always  pro- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  25 

duce  this  time  of  the  year,  especially  a  day  that  ^yo^ld  be  favorable  for 
taking  a  photograph. 

On  the  19th  of  June,  with  a  favorable  wind  along  Lake  Bennett,  we 
started  from  Payer  Portage  at  9.20  a.  m.,  and  by  3  in  the  afternoon  the 
wind  had  increased  to  a  gale,  and  by  5  the  waves  were  running  so  high 
that  the  raft  threatened  to  break  in  two,  there  being  no  logs  running  clear 
through  the  whole  length,  and  at  that  time  we  sailed  for  the  beach  on 
the  eastern  side  and  finding  a  protected  cove  went  into  camp.  There 
being  a  number  of  large  logs  at  this  place  the  next  da.y  was  spent  in 
putting  four  of  them  the  length  of  the  raft,  and  the  21st  the  journey 
was  resumed.  Eighteen  miles  from  the  head  of  the  lake  a  large  river 
comes  into  Lake  Bennett  from  the  west,  which  I  named  Wheaton  River, 
after  Brevet  Major-General  Wheaton,  in  temporary  command  of  the 
department  when  the  reconnaissance  was  organized,  and  to  whom  the 
expedition  is  indebted  for  many  favors  in  putting  it  on  a  good  footing 
for  the  accomplishment  of  its  ends. 

Lake  Bennett  was  ended  that  day,  the  21st,  through  a  draining  river 
called  "Caribou  Crossing"  by  the  Indians,  nearly  2  miles  long,  which 
empties  into  a  small  lake  named  Lake  ISTares,  a  little  over  3  miles  long. 
This  lake  turns  square  to  the  east,  and  the  steady  south  wind  was  now 
60  baffling  on  our  new  course  that  progress  was  very  slow  and  annoy- 
ing. After  passing  through  the  short  draining  river  of  Lake  Nares, 
probably  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  long,  another  lake  (Bore)  8  miles 
long,  still  trending  toward  the  east,  is  entered,  and  around  its  eastern 
limiting  cape  (Point  Perthes)  Lake  Tahk-o  is  entered,  18  miles  long, 
and  by  the  time  its  outlet  is  reached  the  northern  course  is  resumed. 
My  map  shows  the  Tahk-o  Eiver  coming  in  from  the  south,  and  to  this 
part  of  that  river  a  white  man  (Mr.  Byrnes)  has  explored,  although  the 
remainder  of  the  Yukon  to  Fort  Selkirk  is  placed  in  full  lines  (the  topo- 
graphical significance  of  which  is  that  it  has  been  passed  over  by  ex- 
plorers engaged  in  map-making)  on  many  maps,  notably  the  latest 
Coast  Survey  maj)  by  W.  H.  Dall,  and  a  map  in  the  same  author's  book 
entitled  "Alaska  and  its  Resources,"  although  no  white  person  has  yet 
passed  over  this  route  until  the  present  expedition  and  taken  cogni- 
zance of  its  geography.  All  Alaska  is  filled  up  in  this  way  with  rivers 
and  their  branches,  even  on  Government  maps,  that  have  yet  to  be 
traversed  by  white  men  in  any  capacity,  let  alone  topography  and  sur- 
vey. Probably  the  parlor  authors  of  these  maps  think  they  are  doing- 
no  more  harm  than  giving  way  to  a  too  eager  desire  of  "  making  out  a 
full  map  ;"  but  in  this  connection  1  desire  to  state  briefly  an  incident 
that  will  show  this  in  another  light :  A  party  of  miners  being  on  this 
river,  and  discouraged  at  the  prospects,  had  almost  determined  on  re- 
turning, and  one  person,  relying  on  the  maps  in  their  possession,  had 
equally  determined  to  go  on,  as  the  chart  showed  three  or  four  Indian 
villages  on  the  river,  and  by  taking  advantage  of  these  he  thought 
he    could    reach   old    Fort    Selkirk,    and   from   thence   prospect    at 


26 


milhakv  reconnaissance  in  Alaska. 


will.  The  party  did  not  return,  however,  but  on  continuinj^  their  jour- 
ney they  found  no  relevancy  between  the  map  and  the  country  trav- 
ersed ;  and  the  single  person  referred  to  particularly  noticed  the  ab- 
sence of  all  liulian  villages,  and,  worse  than  all,  of  all  Indiana  even, 
and  had  he  continued  his  journey  alone,  would  more  than  likely  have 
pcrislu'd,  or  at  the  very  least  have  undergone  severe  and  unexpected 
iiai'dships. 

On  the  L*Gth  of  June,  in  p-^ssingout  of  Lake  Tahk-o,  we  entered  the 
tirst  considerable  stretch  of  river  we  had  met — a  little  over  9  miles  long — 
and  were  nearly  three  hours  in  floating  through,  although  we  remained 
stuck  a  short  time  on  a  mud  flat  in  its  current.  Its  down-stream  en- 
trance is  full  of  bowlders,  forming  a  serious  obstruction  to  navigation, 
but  one  that  is  possible  with  care  and  judgment.  It  is  about  300  to  400 
yards  wide.  On  its  right  bank  was  a  deserted  Tahk-heesh  house,  which, 
with  one  about  20  miles  above  the  site  of  Fort  Selkirk,  are  the  only 
signs  of  permanent  habitations  from  the  Kotusk  Eange  to  the  Yukon 
junction  with  the  Pelly.  Along  the  narrow  river  bank  or  lake  shore 
between  these  two  points  are  often  seen  three  poles  forming  a  tripod — 
one  of  them  much  longer  than  the  other  two — which  Indicates  the  camp- 
ing places  of  the  few  persons  of  this  abject  tribe.  A  dirty  piece  of  can- 
vas, or  an  old  caribu  skin  riddled  with  holes,  thrown  over  the  longer 
pole,  makes  their  tent,  and  this  makes  their  residence  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  year. 

The  next  lake,  which  I  named  Lake  Marsh,  after  Professor  Marsh  of 
Yale  College,  is  nearly  30  miles  long,  noticeably  wider  than  any  of  the 
lirevious  ones,  and  so  full  of  mud  banks  extending  out  from  the  shore 


MILITARY    KECONNAISSANCK    IX    ALASKA. 


27 


that  the  raft  which  drew  from  20  to  22  inches  could  seklom  get  nearer 
the  beach  than  50  to  100  yards  and  tlironi^h  the  soft  mud  for  that  dis- 
tance the  camping'  effects  had  to  be  packed  on  our  backs  at  each  of 
such  places. 

Fig.  10  represents  a  limited  view  on  Lake  Marsh  looking  to  tbe  south- 
west from  camp  14  of  the  reconnaissance.  Directly  over  the  point  of 
land  in  the  right  of  the  picture  is  seen  the  gap  where  the  Yukon  empties 
into  Lake  Bove,  and  the  next  gap  over  the  left  center  is  the  one  made 
by  the  Tahk-o  coming  in  from  the  south. 


Fig.  11  is  a  view  looking  north  along  the  same  lake  from  the  same 
stand  point,  about  one-fifth  the  length  of  the  lake  being  under  the  eye 
in  the  two  photographs. 

Thus  far  it  had  been  noticed  that  the  trees  leaned  in  more  or  less  con- 
spicuous inclinations  towards  the  north,  thus  plainly  showing  the  pre- 
vailing direction  of  the  stronger  winds,  and  this  is  of  importance  in 
calculations  leading  to  expeditions  down  this  part  of  the  river  in  any 
sort  of  craft  needing  sails  for  propulsion. 

The  heavy  growth  of  last  year's  grass  shows  undoubtedly  good  graz- 
ing, but  the  mosquitoes  in  the  summer  and  the  intense  cold  in  the  win- 
ter would  not  warrant  this  industry — cattle  or  sheep-raising — being- 
undertaken  in  this  part  of  the  country  until  all  stock  ranges  in  every 
other  part  of  the  world  had  been  exhausted.  The  many  tracts  of  yellow 
grass  looked  not  unlike  the  stubble-fields  in  more  temperate  climates. 

The  afternoon  of  the  28th  of  June,  from  12.15  until  2.15  o'clock,  we 
experienced  a  very  decided  thunder  shower  coming  from  the  east,  and 


28 


MILITAUV    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


wiiit'h  is  tlie  Hist,  1  believe,  ever  chronicled  on  the  Yncon  Kiver,  tliej'^ 
beinj;  unknown  on  the  lower  i)art  of  this  <;reat  stream. 

That  (late,  the  -Sth,  we  sailed  past  niidnij^ht,  so  important  did  we 
deem  it  to  take  advanta<;e  of  every  breath  of  wind  in  the  right  direc- 
tion, especially  on  the  lakes,  and  at  that  hour  of  the  night  we  were 
close  enough  to  the  Arctic  Circle  to  read  type  the  size  of  ordinary  news- 
papers, and  but  one  star,  Venus,  was  visible  in  the  unclouded  sky. 

The  20th  of  June  we  passed  out  of  Lake  Marsh  into  the  river,  past 
the  mouth  of  a  river,  the  McClintock,  that  we  took  to  be  the  outlet. 
The  river  valley  was  now  wooded  to  the  water's  edge,  and  it  was  often 
hard  work  to  find  a  good  camping  place  in  the  dense  growth  of  willows 
that  lined  the  bank.     Muskrats  were  numerous  in  this  part  of  the  river. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  July  1st,  we  approached  the  great  rapids  of 
the  Yucou  and  the  only  ones  of  importance  in  the  navigable  part  of 
that  great  stream. 

An  inspection  of  them  showed  them  to  be  nearly-  five  miles  long 
and  extremely  dangerous  for  any  sort  of  a  craft  in  going  through  them. 
The  first  three-quarters  of  a  mile  the  stream  narrowed  to  nearly  one- 
tenth  its  preceding  average  width,  rushes  and  boils  through  a  canon 
with  upright  basaltic  columns  for  its  sides,  the  center  of  this  cailon,  in 
its  length,  widening  into  a  whirlpool  basin  where  the  water's  edge 
could  be  reached  on  the  western  shore. 


yiG.  i; 


Fig.  12  is  a  view  from  the  mouth  of  the  cailon,  about  one  third  the 
length  of  it.  It  then  widens  out  into  nearly  its  original  breadth,  but 
running  swiftly  over  shoals,  bars,  and  drifts  of  watter-logged  timber 
much  more  dangerous  than  the  cafion  itself  for  anv  sort  of  a  navigable 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


29 


craft,  though  probably  not  so  iu  appearance.  I  named  this  canon  (the 
only  one  on  the  Yukon  liiver)  and  its  appended  rapids  after  the  de- 
partment commander,  and  it  so  api)ears  on  the  maps  submitted.  Just 
before  the  rapids  reach  their  termination  the  river-bed  ajjain  contracts 
and  flows  through  basaltic  columns  from  15  to  20  feet  high,  and  finally 
rushes  through  a  narrow  cascade  with  ascending  banks,  and  so  swift  is 
the  current  and  so  narrow  the  chute  that  the  water  is  forced  up  the 
banks  on  the  sides  and  pours  in  sheets  over  these  into  the  cascades 
below,  making  a  perfe(;t  funnel  formidable  to  behold. 


Fig.  13. 

Fig.  13  is  a  very  imperfect  photograph  looking  back  (southward)  at 
these  cascades,  an  instantaneous  view  having  been  undertaken  during 
very  unfavorable  weather. 

Through  the  Miles'  Caiion  and  Rapids  the  raft  was  "shot"  July  2, 
and  although  the  side  logs  were  torn  off  in  a  collision  with  the  basaltic 
columns  of  the  canon,  no  further  damage  was  done,  and  she  was  beached 
about  half  a  mile  below  the  cascades  where  a  couple  of  days  were  occu- 
pied in  repairing  the  injury  and  putting  on  new  decks  from  the  fine, 
straight,  and  seasoned  poles  found  in  the  vicinity. 

Fine  grayling  were  caught  in  large  numbers  in  all  the  rapids  near  the 
caiion,  and  a  considerable  sized  party  could  subsist  on  them  if  provided 
with  proper  tackle  for  securing  them. 

On  the  5th  of  July  we  got  under  way  again,  and  a  little  after  noon 
passed  the  mouth  of  the  Tahk-heen-a,  a  stream  about  two-thirds  the 
size  of  the  Yukon,  where  they  join.  By  it  the  Chilkats  used  to  seek 
the  Tahk-heesh  country  for  trading  purposes  as  already  narrated,  and 


30  MILITARY    KKCONNAISSANCK    IX    ALASKA. 

yet  return  by  it  at  times,  as  they  say  it  is  uot  obstructed  by  any  rai)i(ls 
or  cascades  of  considerable  size,  or  that  will  compare  with  those  of 
Miles'  Canon.  Its  waters  were  very  muddy,  and  while  evidently  smaller 
than  the  Yukon,  the  j;eneral  (characteristics  of  the  valley  of  the  Tahk- 
heeu-a  are  continued  on  ilown  the  former  stream.  That  evening,  on  the 
.~)th,  we  camped  on  the  head  of  the  last  lake  (about  30  or  ."57  miles  long), 
called  Kluk-tas-si  by  the  natives,  and  this  name  is  still  retained  on  the 
maps,  although  there  is  a  lake  called  Labarge  on  Bail's  maps,  above  old 
Fort  Selkirk,  which  I  cannot  identify  by  any  of  his  topography,  it  being 
generally  so  erroneous.  Except  being  a  little  larger  in  size,  it  resem- 
bles Lake  Marsh,  already  described.  Its  eastern  bank  or  shore  is  backed 
by  large  rolling  and  conspicuous  rounded  hills  of  gray  limestone,  the 
gullies  between  being  wooded  with  spruce  or  pine,  and  forming  a  pic- 
turesque contrast  with  the  light-colored  hills.  I  named  them  after 
General  Hancock  of  the  Army. 

On  the  Dtli  we  passed  out  of  Kluk-tas  si,  and  when  I  desired  to  camp 
that  evening  I  found  the  current  so  swift  and  the  river  so  uniformly 
wide  and  canal-like  that  no  eddy  could  be  found  to  slacken  the  gait, 
and  it  was  with  diftlculty  that  we  secured  the  raft  to  the  shore.  In  this 
part  of  the  river  we  usually  grounded  once  or  twice  a  day  on  sand,  mud, 
or  gravel  bars,  and  I  think  I  have  given  them  in  the  inverse  order  of 
the  difficulty  experienced  in  getting  off  them,  sand  being  the  worst  and 
gravel  the  easiest  from  which  the  raft  can  be  liberated.  That  day,  the 
9th,  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Newberry  River,  coming  in  from  the 
right  (east),  about  125  yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  flowing  a  deep  vol- 
ume of  clear  but  dark  colored  water,  evidently  drainings  from  tundra 
land,  or  land  in  which  the  lower  strata  of  winter-formed  ice  in  the  moist 
earth  does  not  melt  owing  to  its  protection  by  the  dense  forests  and 
deep  moss,  and  consequently  the  water  is  surface-drained  directly  into 
the  rivers  and  their  tributaries  after  having  been  impregnated  with  the 
dyes  of  the  leaves  and  moss,  which  would  have  been  lost  could  they 
have  percolated  through  earth.  A  large  grizzly  or  grizzly-colored 
brown  bear  was  seen  on  the  bluff  marked  with  that  name  on  the  map, 
but  we  were  unable  to  secure  him. 

Nearly  40  miles  farther  on  another  large  river,  the  D'Abbadie,  comes 
in  from  the  east,  and  probably  150  to  175  yards  wide  at  its  mouth. 

Another  40  miles  and  the  Daly  River,  a  little  over  100  yards  wide 
comes  in  from  the  east. 

Fifty  miles  beyond  the  Dab"  the  Nordeuskiold  comes  in  from  the 
west,  and  is  probably  150  yards  wide  at  its  mouth. 

With  the  accession  of  all  these  rivers  the  Yukon  becomes  ov^er  half 
a  mile  wide,  and  near  the  Nordenskiold  becomes  very  tortuous,  Tanta- 
lus Butte  of  the  map  being  seen  directly  ahead  of  the  raft  some  six  or 
seven  times  on  as  many  different  stretches  of  the  river.  Islands  also 
become  freely  interspersed  in  its  bed,  and  their  up-stream  ends  are 
often  piled  over  with  drift  timber  of  all  sorts  in  barricades  from  5  or  10 
to  20  feet  high. 


MILITARY    HECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


31 


On  the  12tb  of  Julj'  we  "shot"  the  last  rapids  of  importance  on  the 
Yukon  River  (the  Kink  Rapids),  and  althoiioli  the  river  is  very  much 
contracted  at  their  site  and  pours  in  several  channels  through  towers 


Fig.  15. 


of  rock,  I  think  the  eastern  channel  could  be  ascended  by  a  light- 
draught  steamboat  with  a  powerful  steam  windlass,  so  favorable  is  the 
bank  on  this  side  of  the  stream,  just  above  the  rapids,  for  such  an  un- 


32 


MlLir.VliV    liKC').\N.\lSSA.NCE    IN    ALASKA. 


dertakiiig.  If  Kiuk  Kapids  can  be  ascended  then  tbe  cascades  in  Miles' 
Kapids  is  tlie  head  of  navigation  on  the  Yukon,  raakinji"  this  river  navi- 
jrablo  1,8(1(5  miles  from  the  Aphoon  month,  tlie  only  one  that  boats  now 
enter  or  from  which  tlicy  depart. 

The  eveninj;  of  the  1-th  we  cam[)ed  at  the  Indian  village  of  Kitl-ah- 
gon,  where  the  other  house  mentioned  in  a  previous  part  of  the  report 
is  to  be  found,  the  village  being  made  up  by  brush- wood  houses,  as 
shown  in  the  idiotograph  herewith  given  as  Fig,  14. 

The  house  and  village  were  deserted  when  we  visited  it. 

Fig.  15  is  a  view  looking  up  the  Yukon  from  Kitlah-gon. 


Fig.  16  is  a  view  down  the  Yukon  from  Kitl-ah-gou.  The  view  back 
into  the  valley  of  the  small  stream  (Von  Wilczek  Valley)  is  also  very 
picturesque  and  pretty,  and  is  much  more  conspicuous  than  the  valley 
of  the  Pelly  some  20  miles  farther  on. 

From  Kitl  ah-gon  to  the  site  of  old  Fort  Selkirk  the  Yukon  runs 
through  a  network  of  islands  (IngersoU  Islands),  so  intricate  that  it  was 
seldom  that  both  banks  were  in  sight  from  the  raft  at  the  same  time 
In  Fig.  16  the  lower  ends  of  three  and  the  center  of  one  beyond  are 
in  sight. 

July  13  the  site  of  old  Fort  Selkirk  was  made  out  by  the  conspicu- 
ous chimneys  that  could  be  seen  from  the  raft  on  the  river,  being  a 
little  below  the  junction  with  the  Pelly  and  on  the  western  or  left-hand 
bank,  despite  the  fact  that  all  the  maps  in  our  possession  placed  it  be- 
tween the  two  rivers. 

The  fate  of  Fort  Selkirk,  a  Hudson  Bay  trading  post,  has  already 
been  alluded  to — burnt  in  1851  by  a  party  of  Chilkat  Indians  because 
it  interfered  with  their  trade  with  the  Tahk-heesh  and  other  Indians. 
It  has  never  been  rebuilt,  and  its  chimneys,  three  in  number,  are  all 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


33 


that  is  left  to  mark  the  spot,  aud  these  are  buried  in  a  poplar  grove 
that  almost  overtoi)S  them. 


Fii;.   17. 

We  remained  near  the  site  of  the  old  fort  until  shortly  after  noon  of 
the  15th,  getting  astronomical  observations,  which  placed  this  site  in 
latitude  62°  45'  30"  N.  aud  longitude  137o  22'  45"  W.  of  Greenwich. 

I  had  also  determined  to  make  close  estimates  on  the  relative  sizes  ot 
the  Pelly  coming  in  near  this  point  from  the  east  and  the  river  down 
which  we  had  just  descended,  aud  which  wns  called  the  Lewis  Kiver 
by  the  old  Hudson  Bay  traders,  to  see  which  was  the  Yukon  proper, 
although  a  short  inspection  made  it  evident  that  no  close  measurements 
were  needed,  the  Lewis  River  preponderating  over  the  Pelly  in  width 
and  volume  of  water,  noticeably  to  the  eye. 

This  position  on  my  maj)  is  very  important,  although  in  a  manner 
partially  outside  of  ray  instructions,  in  that  it  marks  the  point  where 
my  explorations  cease,  and  from  the  spot  near  Lake  Lindeman  where 
Dr.  Krause  turned  back  on  his  trail  to  old  Fort  Selkirk,  a  distance  of 
nearly  500  miles.  Geographical  science  is  under  obligations  to  this 
reconnaissance,  for  mapping  a  region  worse  than  unknown,  worse  in 
that  a  region,  improperly  mapped  by  guesswork  and  other  equally  un- 
reliable data,  is  as  much  worse  than  no  map  than  no  map  is  worse  than 
a  good  one.  I  feel  confident  that  these  charts,  submitted  as  a  part  of 
my  report,  although  in  no  w^ay  claiming  perfection,  will  render  unneces- 
sary any  more  minute  surveys  until  some  industry  may  open  up  this 
section,  should  that  event  ever  come  to  pass.  Fisheries  and  minerals 
are  the  only  possible  incentives  for  such  industries.  Except  the  astro- 
nomical observations,  the  map  Avork  was  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Homan> 
and  the  credit  for  the  same  belongs  to  him. 
S.  Ex.  2 3 


34  MILITARY    KECONNAISSANCK    IN    ALASKA. 

My  invostif^sitions,  reiKiIiing^tlie  wholo,  length  of  the  Yukon  River,  over 
I'jOOO  miles,  were  necessarily  of  such  an  extended  nature,  geographi- 
cally, that  1  have  deemed  it  i)r(>j)er  to  subdivide  the  same  for  conven- 
ience, and  have  done  so  into  three  parts,  lully  described  on  the  appended 
itinerary  of  Part  1. 

liiiieranj  of  Part  1  of  Ike  map  of  the  route  of  the  Ahinka  military  revoiniaisauiice  of  l8H3, 
Lieutenant  Svhwatka,  U.  S.  Armi/,  eommandintj,  from  data  compiled  hy  Topoyraphieal 
.\KKi8tant  Charles  A.  Homan,  U.  S.  Army,  topographer  of  the  reconnaissance. 


Lociilitv. 


Stafuti 

IUilL-i<. 


From  CliilUoot  Mission  to  mouth  of  Dayay  River 16. 1 

From  tlu'Ui'»'  to  lieatl  of  canoe  navigation  on  Dayay  River 9.  }> 

From  tlioufo  to  nioutli  of  Noursf.  Rivor  { west)   'J.  S 

From  tliciKx-  to  Porrior  Pass  in  Kotusk  Mountains  (4,100  feet) 11.  W 

From  tlienre  to  Crater  Lalic  (Iiead  of  Yukon) 0.  G 

From  thence  to  camp  on  Lake  Lindcman j  12.  1 

(Length  of  Lake  Lindenian,  10.1.) 

From  tlience  to  Cape  Koldewey  (Lake  Lindenian) 3.  7 

From  tlience  to  north  end  of  Lake  Lindenian      5.  & 

From  tlience  to  south  end  of  Lake  IJeunett,  or  length  of  Payer  Portage  (here  Homau  River 

comes  in  from  the  west) '  1.2 

Fixim  tlience  to  Pie.jevalsky  Point  (mouth  of  Wheaton  River)  (west  side) '  18.  I 

From  thence  to  Richiird's  Kock  (east  side)             ....                    1.2 

From  thence  to  north  end  of  Lake  Bennett  ( Watson  Valley  is  drained  by  two  rivers  here  come 

in  from  the  west) [  10.  0 

(Length  of  Lake  Bennett,  29.3.) 

From  thence  to  west  end  of  Lake  Xares  (through  river  called  Caribou  Cros.sing) 1.  7 

From  thence  to  east  endof  Lake  Naies  (or  length  of  lake) 3.  2 

From  tlience  to  Perthes  Point  (or  length  of  Lake  Bove,  with  bay,  and  possibly  river  coming 

in  from  south) 8.8 

From  thence  to  mouth  of  Tah-ko  River  (south) 7.  8 

From  thence  to  north  end  of  Lake  Tah-ko '■  lo.  3 

(Length  of  Lake  Tah-ko,  18.1.) 

From  thence  to  south  end  of  Lake  Marsh  (or  length  of  connecting  river) ,  9. 1 

From  thence  to  north  end  of  Lake  Marsh  or  length  of  Lake  Marsh  (McClintock  River  com- 
ing in  from  east) 28.  S 

From  thence  to  ujiper  end  of  Miles  Canon  on  Yukon  River , .    i  50. !) 

Fioni  thence  to  length  of  Miles  Canon  and  rapids  4.  C 

(Head  of  navigation  on  Yukon.) 

From  thence  to  mouth  of  Tahk-heen-a  River  (west) 23. 1 

From  thence  to  north  end  ot  Lake  Kluktas-si  (possibly  Lake  Labarge; ]  17.  8 

From  thence  to  Rlchthofen  Rocks  (and  probably  river)  (west  side) '  14.4 

From  thence  to  north  end  of  Lake  Ivluk-tas-si j  22. 1 

(Length  of  Lake  Kluk-tas-si,  3G.5.) 

From  tlience  to  Maunoir  Butte  (east) 16.  2 

From  thinre  to  Red  Butte  (west) 3.2 

From  theme  to  Grizzly  Bear  Banks  (west) [  9.4 

From  tlitiiei'  to  mouth  of  Xewberrv  River  (east) '  8.  9 

From  thence  to  mouth  of  D'Abliadie  River  (east) '  38.  o 

From  thence  to  mouth  of  Daly  River  (east) 41.  (j 

From  thence  to  Fagle's  Nest  Butte  (ea.st) 10  7 

From  thence  to  Nordenskjold  River  (west) 39. 1 

(Tautalus  Butte  is  in  this  vicinity  approached  six  or  seven  times.) 

From  thence  to  Rink  Rapids  on  the  Yukon 2.').  4 

Fi-om  thence  to  U(>ot-(^he-koo  Blulf  (east) 2.5.  8 

From  thence  to  Von  Wilczek  Valley  (east) 17.  0 

Fiom  thence  to  FortSelkirk  (through  aichipelago  called  IngersoU  Lslauds)  (west) 21.  3 

Total  length  of  Pait  1  or  the  part  explored  and  surveyed  by  reconnaissance* 538.8 

Total  length  of  raft  .journey  on  I'art  I  (from  camp  oii  Lake  Lindemau  to  Fort  Selkirk) j  486.8 

Total  length  of  raft  journey  on  Yukon  River,  from  Lake  Lindeman  to  Nuklakayet  (being  ] 

the  longest  raft  Journey  in  the  interest  of  geographical  science) T i  1,303.2 

Total  length  of  Yukon  River I  2,  043.  5 


*Part  2  extends  from  Fort  Selkirk  to  Fort  Yukon,  being  the  part  sttrveyed  by  reconnaissance,  hav- 
ing been  exploieil  by  Mr.  Campbell,  Hudson  Bay  Company. 

Part  3  extends  from  Fort  Yukon  to  Aphooii  mouth,  lieiug  part  explored  bv  Glasunoff,  Malakoti, 
Zagoskin,  Kennicott,  and  Strachan  Jones,  and  surveyed  by  Captain  Raymond,  U.  S.  Army. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


85 


Therefore  with  the  reaching  of  Fort  Selkirk  the  accouut  of  Part  1 
becomes  complete. 


Fig.  18. 


Fig.  18  is  a  view  of  old  Fort  Selkirk,  looking  up  the  Yukon  River,  or 
southward. 


Fi-'.  li). 


3U 


MIl.lTAKV    KKCONNAISSANCK    IN    ALASKA. 


Fiji.  1\)  ivpi'e.sents  some  of  the  (ish  oaught  near  old  Fort  Selkirk, 
the  smaller  ones  bcinji"  the  fjrayliijjj  csinfjlit  in  such  immense  numbers 
at  Miles'  Canon  and  Kajnds,  and  the  other  a  salmon  trout,  both  being 
can  "ill  t  from  Lake  IJove  to  the  month  of  AVhite  Kiver,  about  90  miles 
below  Selkirk. 


Fijj-.  20  is  a  view  of  an  A-yau,  or  I-.van,  ludian  grave  near  old  Fort 
Selkirk;  the  two  i)oles  with  appendages  are  invariable  parts  of  the 
graves  of  this  part  of  the  country. 


Kir,.  21. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


37 


Fig.  22. 

Fig,  22  represents  a  iiiimber  of  A-yan,  or  I-yan,  Indians  in  their  birch- 
bark  canoes.  This  view  was  taken  at  old  Fort  Selkirk,  looking  down 
the  river,  the  Indians  having  come  np  to  visit  us  from  their  village,  12 
miles  below.  Descending  the  Ynkon,  they  are  the  first  tribe  to  use  the 
birch-bark  canoe,  a  means  of  navigation  that  extends  from  here  to  the 
mouth. 


Fia.  23. 


38  MILITARY    RKC0XNA18SANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

Fi<;.  li.i  is  a  view  down  the  Yukon  River  from  the  site  of  Selkirk. 

The  raftiiij;  i)art.v  left  Selkirk  at  1.15  p.  in.  on  the  15th  of  July,  hav- 
ing waited  i)ast  noon  to  ^et  a  meridian  observation  of  the  sun  for  lati- 
tude and  a  morning  observation  for  longitude;  the  days  as  tar  as  par- 
ticular hours  were  coneerned  beinc"  of  but  little  importance,  so  light  was 
it  even  uj)  to  10  and  11  o'clock  at  night. 

The  half  dozen  A-yan  Indians  that  had  visited  us  at  Selkirk  si)oke  to 
us  of  a  larger  village  a  little  below,  but  from  the  appearance  of  those 
we  had  seen  on  the  Yukon  River  above  we  were  in  no  way  prepared  to 
see  such  a  large  camp  as  we  met  on  the  southern  bank  at  4.15  p.  m., 
numbering  from  175  to  200  souls,  and  the  largest  either  permaueut, 
semi-i)ernianent,  or  temjiorary  that  we  met  on  the  whole  length  of  the 
river.  It  is  of  a  semi-i)ermauent  character.  No  doubt  apprised  of  our 
a|)proach  by  runners,  the  entire  camp  congregated  on  the  river  bank  to 
meet  us,  and  as  the  swift  river  threatened  to  sweep  us  by  them  without 
allowing  us  to  make  a  landing,  their  excitement  became  intense,  and  their 
shouts  and  gestures  to  us,  of  the  most  lively  character,  plainly  showed 
that  they  were  extremely  desirous  of  a  closer  acquaintance,  evidently 
taking  us  for  a  party  of  traders  loaded  with  tea  and  tobacco,  the  two 
standard  requests  in  all  their  many  and  constant  solicitations.  Camping 
near  their  village  an  inspection  of  it  showed  it  to  be  more  squalid  than 
we  had  expected  from  the  bright,  intelligent  faces  of  the  few  we  had 
seen  and  the  superior  workmanship  of  their  light  birch-bark  canoes, 
the  finest  on  the  river.  This  village  was  wholly  made  of  brush,  and 
evidently  ouly  used  for  a  summer  camp  while  the  salmon  were  to  be 
caught.  The  Hebrew  cast  of  countenance  was  very  noticeable  in  a 
great  many  of  these  Indians. 

Fig.  24  is  a  very  imperfect  photograph  of  the  old  chief  of  the  A-yau 
(in  the  center),  with  the  heriditarj  chief,  his  son,  on  his  left,  and  the 
principal  medicine  man  of  the  tribe  on  his  right.  They  would  not  stand 
in  front  of  the  camera  unless  a  white  man  Avas  with  them,  which  ac- 
counts for  the  other  portrait.     (Out  could  uot  be  reproduced.) 

These  Indians,  in  a  military  sense,  are  considered  under  the  proper 
subhead. 

Small  black  gnats  now  commenced  getting  noticeably  numerous,  and 
a  mosquito-bar  was  no  protection  from  them. 

The  lOth  we  drifted  47  miles,  a  number  of  A-yan  graves  being  seen  on 
both  banks  of  the  river,  resembling,  in  general,  the  one  photographed 
near  Selkirk.  In  the  afternoon  the  country  became  quite  hilly  and  even 
mountainous,  but  the  river-bed  still  very  full  of  islands,  many  of  which 
are  densely  covered  with  tall  spruce,  looking  very  i)icturesque  in  the 
almost  canon-like  river  bottom,  there  being  ver3'  few  such  large  trees 
on  the  hill-sides.  During  the  day  we  saw  a  large  black  bear  and  three 
mountain  goats  on  the  hill-sides,  but  our  mode  of  navigation  was  not 
favorable  for  hunting  them  and  they  were  passed  unmolested.  We 
also  ran  through  a  number  of  recurring  and  disagreeable  thunder  show- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  39 

ers  iu  the  afternoon,  alternating  with  the  most  blistering  heat,  from 
which  we  could  not  escape  while  on  the  raft. 

Very  early  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  four  A-yan  Indians  in  as  many 
canoes,  from  the  village  we  left  the  morning  before,  came  up  with  us, 
having  left  the  village  shortly  after  we  had  and  having  camped  just 
above  us  during  the  night.  We  kept  passing  each  other  for  the  next 
three  days,  until  lieliance  trading  station  was  reached,  and  judge  from 
their  movements  and  the  opinion  of  our  Indians  that  white  men  rafting 
and  Indians  canoeing  on  this  part  of  the  river  are  about  the  same  in  rapid- 
ity of  traveling.  The  constant  stopping  of  canoemen  to  hunt  every- 
thing in  the  way  of  game,  or  at  mid-day  to  cook  a  warm  lunch,  and  re- 
maining in  their  cramped  positions  but  for  live  or  six  hours  per  day,  it 
is  easy  to  see  that  it  would  no  more  than  equal  the  steady  drifting  of  a 
raft  for  twelve  or  fourteen  hours  if  carefully  kept  in  the  stronger  cur- 
rents. 

During  the  17th  a  heavy  fog  hung  over  the  river  during  the  whole 
day,  cutting  the  hill-sides  at  an  elevation  of  about  400  to  500  feet  from 
the  level  of  the  stream.  These  fogs  are  very  common  on  this  part  of 
the  river  during  this  time  of  the  year,  and  are  almost  constantly  present 
with  the  winds  from  the  south,  the  prevailing  ones  of  the  summer.  It 
is  probable  that  they  are  caused  by  the  supersaturated  moist  air  from 
the  warm  Pacific  being  conveyed  across  the  glacier-topped  coast  range 
of  Alaska  and  thrown  down  into  this  part  of  the  Yukon  Valley  in  the 
shape  of  rain  and  fog. 

At  1.30  p.  m.,  the  17th,  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  White  River  com- 
ing in  from  the  south,  its  waters  seemingly  liquid  mud,  from  whence  it 
probably  derives  its  name.  It  is  called  by  the  "  Sticks  "  the  Yukokon 
Heenah  (Yukokon)  or  Yukokon  E-iver,  and  by  the  Chilkats  another 
name,  meaning  Sand  River,  from  the  immense  number  of  sand  bars  and 
banks  which  they  say  exists  along  its  course.  Its  waters  mingle  at  once 
with  the  Yukon  (although  in  Dall  the  contrary  is  erroneously  stati^l),  it 
emptying  squarely  into  the  latter  with  a  current  so  swift  as  to  pack  its 
muddy  waters  nearly  directly  across  to  the  opposite  bank. 

About  4  p.  m.  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Stewart  River,  its  mouth 
so  covered  with  islands  that  it  was  impossible  to  recognize  it  except  by 
its  valley  which  was  very  conspicuous.  Its  mouth,  however,  is  of  a 
deltoid  nature,  but  the  many  islands  made  their  accurate  establishment 
very  uncertain. 

On  the  18th,  47^  miles  were  made  from  8.30  iu  the  morning  to  9.40  p. 
m.  At  1.30  we  passed  a  number  of  Tahk-houg  Indians  on  right  bank, 
with  sixteen  canoes,  and  seemed  to  be  much  neater  than  any  we  had 
met  so  far,  They  were  probably  a  trading  party,  there  being  one  for 
each  canoe  and  no  women  with  them. 

At  8.30  p.  m.  we  passed  an  Indian  camp  on  the  left  bank,  which  we  at 
first  took  to  be  miners,  as  they  apparently  had  such  good  tents,  and  from 
them  ascertained  that  there  was  a  white  man's  deserted  store  (of  which 


4U  MIMTARV    KKCOXNAISSANCH    IN    ALASKA 

WO  had  licnid  several  times  farther  up  the  river  in  a  more  or  less  defi- 
nite manner)  hut  a  few  miles  farther  ou,  hut  that  he  liad  left  some  time 
ap),  goiJig  down  to  the  salt  water,  as  they  say.  That  eveniiift"  we  camped 
at  the  nu)uth  of  a  swift  fair-sized  river  coming  in  from  the  east  which 
we  afterwards  ascertained  of  the  traders  to  be  Deer  liiver,  and  is  so 
marked  on  the  nm]).  Here  the  Yukon  narrows  to  200  to  250  yfirds  in 
breadth  ami  runs  swiftly  between  high  hills. 

Believing  I  was  near  the  British  boundary,  as  shown  by  my  Selkirk 
(ibservations,  1  waited  to  get  another  set  at  this  i)oint,  but  the  weather 
was  so  ten)pestuous  that  I  only  succeeded  in  a  very  imperfect  way,  and 
not  waiting  for  a  noon  observation,  got  away  at  11.10  a.  m. 

Just  before  1  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  passed  the  abandoned  trading- 
post  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Comi)any,  Fort  Reliance,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river,  and  directly  opposite  was  the  semi-permanent  Indian 
village  of  Noo-klahk-o,  numbering  ai)parently  one  hundred  and  fifty 
souls.  Our  approach  was  saluted  by  the  firing  of  fifty  to  seventj'-five 
discharges  of  guns,  to  which  we  replied  by  a  much  smaller  number.  I 
found  this  method  of  heralding  to  be  universal  from  here  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  and  I  understand  arises  from  a  custom  brought  among 
them  by  the  Russian  traders,  and  that  has  slowly  traveled  inland  at 
least  as  far  as  this  point.  These  Indians  are  further  described  in  the 
ajjpendix. 

Fort  (?)  Keliance  is  a  dilapidated  looking  place  of  two  or  three  houses, 
a  main  store  nailed  up,  and  three  others,  cellar-like  and  semi-subter. 
ranean  in  character. 

Less  than  .'U)  miles  was  made  that  day — the  19th — owing  to  our  ground- 
ing on  a  gravel  bar  at  the  head  of  an  island,  where  we  delayed  over  2 
hours,  and  finally  had  to  "  lighter"  our  effects  ashore  and  camp  in  order 
to  free  the  raft.     Such  occurrences  were  not  rare. 

On  the  20th  we  started  shortly  after  8  in  the  morning,  and  at  11.30 
a.  m.  passed  the  mouth  of  a  large  river  coming  in  from  the  west,  which 
I  named  the  Cone  Ilill  River,  from  a  conspicuous  conical  hill  in  its  valley 
near  the  mouth.  Ever}'  one  of  the  party  that  attempted  it  found  it  ab- 
solutely impossible  to  identif}'  any  incoming  stream  in  this  part  of  the 
river  by  the  maps  or  descri])tions  now  in  existence.  Just  beyond  Cone 
Hill  River  three  or  four  bears,  both  black  and  brown,  were  seen  on  the 
side-hills  to  our  left,  and  about  300  to  400  yards  distant,  and  although 
the  most  persistent  firing  was  kept  up  by  nearly  the  whole  party  until 
we  floated  out  of  sight  none  of  them  were  secured. 

About  2.30  in  the  afternoon  we  passed  a  remarkably  conspicuous 
rock,  looming  up  out  of  a  fiat  valley  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and 
closely  resembling  Castle  Rock  on  the  Columbia,  although  only  about 
half  the  size  of  the  latter.  I  gave  it  the  name  of  Roquette  Rock,  as  I 
saw  no  allusion  to  it  on  any  map  of  this  part  of  the  river. 

On  the  21st,  having  started  at  9  a.  m.,  at  12.30  we  came  upon  a  small 
permanent  Indian  village  on  the  left  bank,  of  six  houses,  and  from  75  to 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


41 


100  souls.  About  a  mile  aud  a  quarter  below,  on  the  same  sitle  of  the 
river,  was  a  white  man's  abandoned  trading  house,  near  which  we 
camped.  From  the  Indians  we  learned  that  the  trader's  name  was 
Mercer,  aud  that  he  had  gone  down  the  Yukon.  This  station,  we  after- 
wards learned,  had  been  called  by  the  traders  Belle  Isle  Station.  (Fig. 
25  is  left  out  in  the  compiler's  report.) 

The  Indian  village  is  called  Johnny's  Village,  aud  at  the  time  of  our 
visit  the  chief  was  away  in  a  canoe.  His  English  sobriquet  of  "  Johnny  " 
is  the  only  one  he  is  recognized  by  in  his  own  country,  though  the  In- 
dian name  of  the  village  was  Klat-ol-klin,  and  the  Indians,  as  we  under- 
stood our  interpreters,  call  themselves  Tah-kong  or  Tahk-hong.  A 
pliotograph  of  the  village  is  shown  in  Fig.  26. 


Further  information  concerning  this  small  baud  is  given  in  the  ap- 
pendix devoted  to  Indian  tribes. 

Fig.  27  is  a  view  looking  down  the  Yukon  Eiver  from  the  village, 
about  southwest.  It  may  be  interesting  to  note  the  high  grass  fairly 
shown  in  Fig.  25.*  From  here  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  it  may  be  said 
to  be  equally  luxuriant.  Underneath  it  in  many  places  there  is  a  mossy 
or  peat-like  bed  so  tough  that  when  the  river  undermines  its  banks  in 
these  places  the  turf  holds  on  to  that  of  the  bank's  crest,  keeping  it 
covered  with  a  blanket  of  the  moss.  In  wooded  places,  however,  this 
falling  in  of  the  banks  drags  the  turf  with  it  into  the  water.  Between 
camps  35  and  30  the  soil,  for  the  first  time  descending  the  river,  seems 
to  be  thick  and  black,  and  continues  so  in  a  varying  degree  until  the 
lower  ramparts  are  again  entered. 

On  the  23d  of  July  we  reached  another  Indian  village,  called  Char- 

*  See  explanation  in  regard  to  fignre  25. 


42 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


ley's  Village,  whicU  is  au  exact  counterpart  of  the  one  called  Johnny's, 
even  to  number  of  houses  (C)  and  side  of  the  river  (western  bank).  We 
met  a  Cana<lian  voyageur  among  them  who  calls  them  and  Johnny's  vil- 
lage the  Tadoosh  Indians,  and  says  they  are  the  most  friendly  and  best 
natured  Indians  on  this  part  of  the  river. 

xVfter  leaving  Camp  37  the  country  flattens  out  noticeably,  and  from 
about  Camp  38  to  old  Fort  Yukon  it  spreads  out  over  many  miles  in  width 
(said  to  be  7  miles  wide  at  Fort  Yukon  by  a  trader  who  was  stationed 
there  for  several  years)  and  so  full  of  islands  that  it  was  about  impos- 
sible to  tell  when  we  were  near  the  main  banks.  Most  wonderful  of  all 
in  this  wide  extent  of  spreading  the  current  seems  to  slacken  but  very 
little  in  all  the  many  intricate  channels  that  were  between,  and  evi 
dently  shows  the  deep  character  of  the  river  before  these  numerous  sul)- 
divisioiis  commence  and  its  shallowness  afterwards,  as  no  stream  of  im- 
portance helps  to  account  for  the  relations  between  the  two  volumes  in 
any  other  way.  On  the  evening  of  the  2-l:th  we  camped  (No.  38)  along- 
side of  a  small  river  steamer  called  the  "St.  Michaels,"  which,  during 
the  spring  freshet  while  descending  the  river,  had  grounded  on  this  bar, 
and  being  unable  to  get  off  was  abandoned,  her  keel  being  now  some  6 
or  7  feet  above  the  level  of  the  present  stage  of  water. 

This  boat  belonged  to  the  AVestern  Fur  and  Trading  Company,  organ- 
ized in  San  Francisco  as  an  opposition  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany of  the  same  city.  They  had  recently  been  bought  out  by  the 
latter  company  after  having  existed  for  several  years  at  a  loss  to  them- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


43 


selves.  This  opposition  had  some  direct  bearing  on  the  Indian  ques 
tion  in  that  dnring  its  prevalence  prices  were  put  down  to  absurd  fig- 
ures, the  Indians  really  getting  for  their  furs,  in  some  instances,  more 


Mmm^^n^--^"'^- 


than  they  could  have  done  probably  in  San  Francisco  itself.  When 
this  opposition  ceased,  although  the  former  rates  were  not  entirely  re- 
sumed, a  great  step  had  been  taken  in  that  direction  and  the  conse- 
quence is  a  great  majority  of  the  Indians  are  dissatisfied  with  the  pres- 
ent prices,  as  it  is  simply  impossible  for  them  to  believe  that  the  previ- 
ous low  rates  were  not  renumerative  to  the  companies,  or  that  any  one 
would  sell  anything  for  less  than  it  is  worth,  and  consequently  the  pres- 
ent prices  are  exorbitant,  and  as  Indians  have  but  one  way  of  correct- 
ing even  mistakes,  a  sort  of  strained  feeling  exists  in  many  places 
which  could  lead  to  more  serious  trouble.  The  traders  on  this  river, 
however,  are  all  men  of  good  judgment,  I  believe,  and  this  fact  will 
make  collisions  less  probable  than  would  generally'  be  suj^posed.  Again, 
traders  dependent  upon  Indians  wholly  for  their  trade,  do  much  more 
to  conciliate  them  in  all  cases  than  any  class  of  people  with  whom  they 
can  come  in  contact.  If  hostilities  are  threatened  they  will  avoid 
them,  knowing  full  well  that  if  no  blood  is  shed  that  the  matter  will 
be  conciliated  in  a  short  while  and  they  will  be  able  to  resume  their 
trade,  and  that  should  such  an  unfortunate  circumstance  occur  they 
would  for  years  comi^romise  all  chances  for  such  a  desirable  termina- 
tion. This,  coupled  with  the  object  traders  have  in  keeping  sncli  rupt- 
ures hidden  from  both  the  public  and  other  Indian  tribes,  has  led  to 
the  well-known  but  erroneous  opinion  that  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
have  succeeded  so  admirably  in  their  contact  with  Iiulian  tribes.     If 


44 


MILITARY    RHCONXAISSANCH    IN    ALASKA. 


the  Yukon  llWvv  olTers  no  lield  for  industry  but  tliiit  wliich  the  Indian 
trader  monopolizes,  it  niigiit  well  bo  doubtful  whether  a  military  force 
would  ever  be  needed  alonj:^  its  course;  but  from  the  present  prospects 
the  salmon  tisheries  and  mining;  may  not  be  far  distant,  and  men  that 
enter  these  fields  have  no  more  consideration  for  Indians  than  any 
other  class  of  people  and  will  treat  them  as  friends  or  enemies  accord- 
ing- to  the  way  that  they  themselves  may  elect. 

On  the  27tb  of  Jnli'  we  made  old  Fort  Yukon  about  noon,  the  dis- 
tance from  the  site  of  Fort  Selkirk  being  490.2  miles  after  correction  by 
the  astronomical  observations,  showing'  an  error  or  correction  of  but 
10.0  miles  in  the  whole  course  or  .0212  i)er  cent.,  or  more  clearly  speak- 
ing- about  1  mile  in  50,  showing-  that  the  intermediate  points  deter- 
mined by  dead  reckoning-  can  be  relied  upon  within  tiuit  possible  limit. 
Here  we  found  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  river  steamer 
"Y'nkou"  on  her  animal  trip  nj)  the  river  for  trading  purposes  and 
sujjplying-  the  posts  of  the  company'.  These  excursions  were  made  as 
high  as  Belle  Isle  Station  and  Fort  Reliance  before  they  were  aban- 
doned, but  are  now  made  wholly  with  reference  to  where  the  Indians 
will  be  found. 


Fig.  29. 

Fig-.  30  is  a  view  of  the  interior  of  the  old  Fort  Y'ukon  stockade, 
nearly  all  of  this  part  having  been  removed  by  the  river  steamer  for 
fuel,  it  being  handy  and  already  cut  in  lengths.  Two  bastions  are  seen 
with  the  stockade  between,  and  the  two  buildings  in  the  foreground 
are  the  storehouse  (nearest)  and  some  of  the  officers'  old  quarters, 
both  roofed  with  spruce  bark  held  down  by  battens.     The  history  of 


MILITARY    RECO^NAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


45 


this  Hudson  Bay  trading  post  is  too  well  known  to  rei)eat  here.  Pass- 
ing into  the  bands  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  it  was  for  a 
long  time  tlie  farthest  post  they  possessed  up  the  great  river  until 
Reliance  was  established.     Fort  Yukon  was  abandoned  three  or  four 


Fig.  yo. 


46 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


years  ajjo  as  not  rjMiiunciative,  and  Keliaiice  and  Belle  Isle  were  then 
established,  and  these  two  were  aj,'ain  abandoned  recently  (the  fornjer 
on  aeconnt  of  exi)ected  Indian  troubles  growinjj  out  of  the  opposition) 
and  Nuklakayet,  about  .'iOO  miles  below  Fort  Yukon,  is  now  their 
frontier  tradin;;-  station  on  the  stream. 

Fig.  31  is  a  portrait  of  Senatee,  the  chief  of  the  Fort  Yukon  Indians, 
as  they  are  called  by  the  traders,  and  as  I  have  named  them  in  my  de- 
scription of  the  tribe.  He  is  the  only  chief  on  the  river  having  that 
power,  as  we  generally  understand  it,  among  Indian  tribes,  all  of  the 
others,  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  having  but  nominal  intiuence  with 
their  subchiefs  and  tribes. 

I  have  si)oken  so  much  of  the  peculiarly  flat  character  of  the  Yukon 
Valley  for  some  80  or  90  miles  above  old  Fort  Y'ukon,  that  I  give  here- 
with a  photograph  (Fig.  32)  looking  south  westward  across  from  the 
shore  in  front  of  the  fort,  giving  clearly  the  easternmost  channel, 
which  is  but  one  in  several  of  greater  or  less  width.  Mr.  McQuestion, 
who  was  for  several  years  trader  at  the  old  fort,  says  that  it  is  about  7 
miles  wide  at  this  point,  and  he  believes  there  are  places  on  this  flat 
l)art  of  the  river  where  it  may  attain  double  that  width.  The  following 
is  the  itinerary  of  the  second  part : 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  47 

Jtitieiary  of  Part  II  of  the  map  of  the  route  of  the  Alaska  militaru  reconnaissance  of  1883, 
Lieutenant  Schwatka,  U.  S.  Army,  commanding,  from  data  compiled  by  Topographical 
Assistant  C.  A.  Homan,  l'.  S.  Army,  topographer  of  the  reconnaissance. 


Locality. 


Statute 
miles. 


From  Fort  Selkirk, B.  C,  to  mouth  of  Selwyn  River 33.6 

Tlience  to  moutii  of  White  Kiver 62. 1 

Thence  to  mouth  of  Stewait  River 9.  7 

Thence  to  mouth  of  Deer  River 65.  6 

Tlience  to  Fort  Ruliauce 6.  5 

Thence  to  mouth  of  Cliaudindu  River 12.  0 

Thfuce  to  mouth  of  Cone  Hill  River 27.  5 

Thence  to  Roquette  Rock 13.  0 

Thence  to  John's  Village 33.  0 

Thence  to  Belle  Isle  Station |  1-1 

Thence  to  bouiKlarv  line  141°  west*    20.  3 

Thence  to  mouth  of  Totondu  River i  10.  0 

Thence  to  mouth  of  Tahkandik  Kiver 22.  4 

Thence  to  Charlie's  Village 29.  0 

Thence  to  St.  Michael's  Island 47. 4 

Thence  to  Fort  Yukou             97.0 

From  Fort  Selkirk,  B.  C,  to  Fort  Yukon,  Alaska 490.2 

\ ^ 

*  Length  of  Yukon  River  in  British  America,  783.3 ;  length  of  Yukon  River  in  Alaska,  1,260.2. 

Part  I,  or  the  part,  explored  and  surveyed  by  reconnaissance,  538.8. 

Part  III  extends  from  Fort  Yukon  to  Aplioon  mouth,  being  the  part  explored  by  Glasunoft',  Mala- 
kolf,  Zagoskin,  Kennicott,  and  Strachan  Jones,  and  surveyed  by  Captain  Raymond,  U.  S.  Army. 

The  party  remained  at  old  Fort  Yukon  during  the  28th  of  July  to  de- 
termine rate  and  errors  of  chronometers,  and  on  the  29th  the  journey 
was  resumed,  and  between  7  a.  m.  and  8.45  p.  m.  drifted  50i  (geographi- 
cal) miles,  or  over  4  statute  miles  per  hour,  plainly  showing  no  diminu- 
tion in  the  current  despite  the  wide-spread  character  of  the  channel. 
At  11.30  a.  m.  we  passed  an  Indian  village  of  5  or  6  tents,  on  one  of 
the  many  islands  in  the  channel,  of  probably  20  to  30  souls,  although 
very  few  appeared,  being  probably  absent  hunting  and  fishing.  On  the 
beach  were  7  or  8  birch-bark  canoes,  and  lounging  around  was  the 
usual  higli  number  of  Indian  dogs.  This  day,  the  29th,  was  an  exceed- 
ingly hot,  blistering  day  on  the  river  and  almost  unbearable  on  the 
raft,  as  we  liad  no  means  of  counteracting  it  on  such  a  craft.  To  put 
up  an  awning  of  canvas  was  to  seriously  obstruct  the  view  of  the  stern 
oarsman,  who  was  responsible  for  the  raft,  and  who  needed  this  view  to 
distinguish  the  swift  from  the  slow  currents,  the  sand,  mud,  and  gravel 
bars  where  the  vessel  was  likely  to  be  delayed,  and  many  and  the  worst 
of  which  were  just  under  water  ev^en  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  also 
snags,  and  landing  places  after  camping  hoars.  Again,  an  awning  of 
canvas  caught  considerable  wind,  and  if  this  was  considerable  and  any 
otherdirection  than  fore  and  aft,  steering  was  almost  impossible.  Here, 
within  the  limited  part  of  the  Yukon  River  in  and  near  the  Arctic  zone, 
our  greatest  discomforts  were  the  blistering  heat  and  dense  swarms  of 
gnats  and  mosquitoes  that  met  us  at  every  turn.  The  night  of  the  29th- 
30th  but  very  few  of  the  party  slept  well,  owing  to  the  gnats,  the  mos. 
quito-bars  being  no  protection  from  the  diminutiv^e  pests,  and  we  con- 
sequently got  an  early  start  on  the  30th,  shortly  after  0  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  day  contrasting  strangely  with  the  one  before.     A  cold  and 


48  MILITAKV    KECONNAISSANCK    IN    AJ>ASKA. 

(lisajjivoabli!  wiiul  with  heavy  doiuls  made  the  contrast,  and  gave  u.s 
dillicnlt  work  in  steering  ck^ir  of  the  leo  banks,  the  small  amount  of 
bulky  bajigage  on  the  rait  forming-  a  sullieient  surface  to  the  wind  to 
determine  this.  The  ;U)th  the  raft  drifted  44  geographical  miles  in  thir- 
teen hours  and  ten  minutes  to  Camp  43  of  the  map.  The  wind  had  its 
compensating  feature,  however,  in  keeping  away  the  mosquitoes  and 
gnats  at  night,  so  that  one  could  sleep. 

The  31st  of  July  the  raft  drifted  45  miles  in  thirteen  hours  to  Camp 
44  of  the  map,  and  that  evening  commenced  raining  so  hard  and  so  cou- 
tinued  tiu>  next  day,  the  1st  of  August,  that  we  remained  in  camp.  The 
femur  and  molar  tooth  of  a  mastodon  were  found  in  the  gravel  bar  near 
Cami)44,  the  remains  of  these  animals  having  been  found  in  large  numbers 
in  the  valley  of  the  Yukon  River,  and  especially  this  flat  level  portion  of 
300  miles  extending  between  the  upper  and  lower  ramparts.  At  old 
Fort  Yukon  an  Indian  who  showed  us  a  tooth  said  that  it  came  from  a 
comi)lete  skeleton  about  two  days' journey  away  that  the  river  was  ex- 
posing by  undermining  action. 

The  2d  of  August  we  drifted  but  20  miles  in  twelve  hours,  a  strong 
wind  keeping  us  against  the  left  bank  so  as  to  impede  our  progress- 
We  were  Ibrced  into  oiu^  slough  by  it  that  was  so  sluggish  in  current 
that,  altliough  but  2  miles  long,  we  were  over  two  hours  drifting  through. 
A  number  of  such  slack- water  places  were  encountered  that  could  easily 
have  been  avoided  in  less  stormy  w^eather.  At  3  p.  m.  we  passed  a 
double  log-house  on  the  right  bank,  with  two  or  three  small  elevated 
log  caches,  peculiar  from  this  point  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  two  graves, 
&c.,  all  of  which  seemed  very  new,  although  the  place  was  deserted, 
very  recently  however.  Many  signs  of  Indians  Avere  noticed  as  we 
approached  the  "lower  ram])arts,"  as  the  hilly  country  is  called.  On 
cami)ing  at  7.30  p.  m.  we  were  but  a  short  distance  from  the  entrance  to 
these  hills,  and  ii  was  with  the  greatest  satisfaction  that  we  approached 
them  and  left  behind  the  flat  country  which  we  had  traversed  for  300 
miles,  and  was  tedious  and  irksome  beyond  measure  iu  its  monotonous 
flat  scenery.  The  whole  length  of  this  flat  country  there  are  but  very 
few  Indians,  the  mosquitoes  driving  the  game  out  of  its  domain,  and 
the  innumerable  number  of  wide  shallow  channels  into  which  the  river 
divides  making  fishing  for  them  less  certain  than  in  the  hilly  districts. 
The  establishment  of  Fort  Yukon  at  the  mouth  of  the  Porcupine  in- 
duced many  to  congregate  around  this  spot,  as  is  usual  with  frontier 
trading  posts,  and  although  it  has  been  abandoned  a  number  still  re- 
side at  the  siK)t  as  a  sort  of  trading  point  with  the  river  steamer  in  its 
annual  visits,  and  possibly  the  reluctance  with  which  people  abandon 
their  homes  of  long  standing  despite  their  unfavorable  positions. 

On  the  3d  of  August  the  raft  was  started  at  7.30  a.  m.,  and  entered 
the  "ramparts"  shortly  after.  Through  this  part  of  the  ramparts  the 
country  and  river  looks  very  much  like  the  Columbia  Eiver  near  the 
Cascades.     A  few  Indians  were  now  visible,  and  old  and  permanent 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


49 


signs  of  them  quite  numerous.  About  0  p.  m.  we  passed  a  well-built 
Indiau  house  ou  right  bank  of  the  river,  with  log  and  stake  steps  up  the 
steep  river  bank, 

We  camped  at  8.30  p.  ni.  near  several  Indian  graves,  about  a  mile 
or  two  above  the  mouth  of  the  Whj^mper  Eiver,  one  of  which  graves  is 
shown  in  Fig.  33,  where  several  had  been  buried  during  the  raging  of  an 


Fig.  33. 


epidemic  some  two  or  three  years  before.  The  fence  around  is  the  result 
of  Christian  influence,  but  their  other  superstitions  cannotbe  wholly  over- 
come, as  shown  by  the  poles  with  the  symbolic  totems  of  geese,  ducks, 
bears,  &c.,  on  their  tops.  The  ramparts  ou  the  3d  so  closely  resembled 
portions  of  the  ramparts  of  the  Middle  Yukon  between  Selkirk  and  Belle 
Isle  that  the  conviction  seemed  irresistible  that  they  are  identical  chains 
stretched  like  a  bow  string  across  the  great  arc  of  the  Yukon,  bending 
northward  into  the  flat  Arctic  tundra  land.  At  Camp  46  I  found  several 
varieties  of  berries,  not  only  edible  but  very  acceptable,  despite  the  gen- 
eral dwarfed  and  stunted  condition  of  most  of  them. 

The  4th  of  August  we  made  47  miles  through  the  ramparts.  At  7.50 
a.  m.  we  passed  the  concealed  mouth  (as  going  down  stream)  of  the 
Whymper  River  coming  in  from  the  left.  Through  this  part  of  the 
river  between  Camps  46  and  47  were  many  signs  of  Indians,  as  caches, 
old  camping  places,  &c.,  along  both  banks,  but  singularly  enough  no 
Indians  were  visible,  and  the  presence  of  wolves  around  these  positions 
made  me  think  that  their  absence  had  been  for  some  little  time.  That 
day  we  had  a  most  disagreeable  gale  of  wind,  hardly  worth  noticing 
except  for  the  fact  that  with  the  exception  of  a  very  few  days  it  con- 
tinued unceasingly  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  the  observations 
S.  Ex.  2 4 


50  MILITARY    RKCONNAISSANCK    IN    ALASKA. 

of  previous  explorers  and  observers  make  eejtain  the  tact  that  sncb 
weather  is  the  prevailing  nature  during'  the  summer  season.  Many 
of  the  small  creeks  that  put  into  this  part  of  the  river,  and  draining 
thron^ih  tin'  swampy  tundra  land,  while  so  dear  that  their  bottoms  may 
be  seen  even  in  deei)  i)laces  (0  atid  7  feet  deep)  are  highly  colored  with 
a  port  wine  hue,  which  contrasts  strongly  with  the  muddy  waters  of  the 
Yukon,  where  they  Join.  This  may  be  caused  by  iron,  as  outcroppings 
of  that  chaiacter  were  seen. 

Twenty-seven  miles  were  made  next  day,  August  5,  rain  showers  in 
the  morning  delaying  onr  start  until  8.o5  a.  m.  At  2.10  p.  m.  we  drifted 
past  the  spot  known  as  "the  rapids  of  the  Yukon,"  being,  until  the 
present  expedition  surveyed  the  whole  length  of  the  river,  known  as 
the  worst  impediment  on  the  river.  We  had  been  anxiously  expecting 
them,  and  had  some  fears  that  they  might  prove  disastrous  to  our  rough 
means  of  navigation,  but  it  was  not  until  we  were  past  them  that  we  ob- 
served them  at  all,  being  represented  by  a  bar  of  white  bowlders  around 
wliich  the  waters  flowed  as  placidly  as  around  any  bar  in  the  river. 
At  high  water  the  river  may  flow  over  this  bar  with  some  commotion, 
for  it  is  here  constricted  into  300  or  400  yards  in  width,  but  during  the 
great*  r  part  of  the  time  navigation  would  be  essayed  it  certainly  is  not 
woith  considering. 

Ab(mt  half  a  mile  below  the  "  rapids,"  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river, 
is  the  first  considerable  sized  Indian  village  encountered  after  leaving 
the  flat  country  described.  It  consisted  of  two  tents  and  four  birch-bark 
houses  with  from  forty  to  tifty  souls.  Eight  canoes  put  off  to  meet  us 
and  fresh  salmon  were  procured  from  them,  the  tirst  we  had  had  for 
several  days.  This  part  of  the  Yukon  Kiver,  is  quite  picturesque,  equal 
to  that  for  100  or  200  miles  below  the  site  of  old  Fort  Selkirk,  and  supe- 
rior in  grand  outline  to  any  scenery  from  here  to  its  mouth. 

On  Monday,  the  Gth  of  August,  having  started  at  8.30  a.  m.,  at  0,10  p.  m. 
we  made  Nuklakyet,  the  fartherest  outlying  trading  station  of  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  on  the  Yukon  Kiver,  and  were  glad  enough  to 
meet  permanent  civilization,  and  part  with  our  rait,  on  which  we  had 
navigated  the  river  for  over  1,300  miles.  Nuklakyet  station  was  in 
cliarge  of  ]\[r.  Harper,  an  old  employ^  in  these  regions,  and,  like  all 
such,  seemingly  content  with  his  isolated  lot.  A  small  garden  was  at- 
tached to  his  station  on  a  bank  with  a  southern  exposure  and  good 
drainage,  and  here  he  cultivated  the  rougher  varieties  of  hardy  vege- 
tables. Turnii)s  were  grown  that  weighed  six  and  a  half  pounds,  and 
other  varieties  of  vegetables  were  equally  surprising,  considering  the 
high  latitude,  within  less  than  100  miles  of  the  Polar  Circle. 

Fig.  34  is  a  view  of  Mr.  Harper's  trading  station  looking  westward, 
with  the  little  garden  in  the  foreground. 

It  is  typical  of  the  fact  that  when  tisheries  line  this  great  river,  as 
they  are  sure  to  do,  and  mining  camps  dot  its  tributaries,  as  indications 
show  they  maj-,  that  with  such  rough  vegetables  as  may  be  grown  and 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA 


51 


sncli  varieties  as  will  bear  transportation,  that  life  mny  be  made  more 
bearable  than  one  would  think  from  its  extreme  isolation. 


Fig    34. 


Fig.  3J 


Fig.  35  is  a  view  of  the  means  of  transportation  used  in  this  part  oi 
Alaska  both  in  summer  and  winter,  the  two  boats  explaining  them- 
selves by  the  figures,  while  in  the  foreground  is  the  usual  sledge  of  this 
part  of  the  Yukon  Valley  to  its  mouth.     At  this  point  also  commences 


52 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


the  Ksquiiuaux  dogs  used  with  the  sledges,  all  those  previous  being  of 
the  Indiiiii  variety,  a  smaller,  but,  I  believe,  a  hardier  variety. 


Fig.  36. 


Pig.  36  is  a  view  of  a  group  of  these  dogs,  there  being  over  50  at  this 
station,  having  been  collected  by  Mr.  Ed.  Schieftelin,  a  mining  capitalist 
l)n)spt'ctiug  on  the  river,  for  his  winter's  use  in  sledging. 


Fig  37 


xMILlTAKY    RKCONNAISSANCK    IN    ALASKA.  53 

The  subject  of  procurinji'  siillicieiit  food  for  so  hii<;e  ii  force  of  ani- 
mals was  a  serious  one,  and  Mr.  Harper  informed  nie  that  lie  expected 
to  kill  a  uuniber  before  winter.  Their  susteuanceis  wholly  dried  salmon, 
for  which  the  white  traders  pay  a  cent  apiece  in  trade.  Among  these 
fish  so  furnished  is  found  the  king  salmon,  the  variety  well  known  as 
the  best  for  general  canning  purposes. 

Fig.  37  is  one  taken  of  the  raft  at  the  point  where  it  was  abandoned. 
At  Nuklakayet  we  obtained  a  12-ton  "  barka"  (as  it  is  called  by  the 
traders  of  the  river),  which  is  really  but  a  small  decked  schooner  of 
that  capacity.  There  were  no  sails  except  a  small  flying-jib,  and  it  was 
my  intention  to  float  down  the  river  with  the  current  as  I  had  with  the 
raft,  except  such  small  aid  as  I  might  get  from  the  jib  when  the  wind 
should  be  favorable.  I  might  here  add,  however,  that  the  usual  wind 
was  from  the  general  direction  we  desired  to  go,  and,  as  already  stated, 
of  a  steady  tempestuous  character. 

We  remained  over  at  Nuklakayet  the  7th  of  August,  transferring 
from  the  raft  to  the  "  barka  "  and  preparing  the  latter  for  her  drift. 

The  8th  the  voyage  was  resumed,  and  made  37  miles  by  drifts,  being 
aided  on  occasional  bends  of  the  river  by  the  jib.  Private  Eoth  of  the 
party  was  a  good  sailor,  and  his  services  were  in  much  demand  in  this 
hybrid  system  of  navigation.  We  found  it  much  harder  to  get  near 
shore  in  the  ''  barka  "  so  as  to  go  into  camp  than  it  had  been  on  the 
raft.  It  was  also  much  more  cramped,  but  in  compensation  for  this  we 
could  keep  dry  during  the  rainy  weather  and  to  a  great  extent  protect 
our  more  valuable  property  from  the  same,  and  we  certainly  needed  this 
protection,  for  the  weather  during  the  rest  of  the  month  was  the  most 
continuously  bad  of  any  summer  weather  I  have  ever  experienced. 
Mosquitoes  were  still  very  numerous,  and  we  were  either  getting  so  used 
to  them  that  they  appeared  so  or  they  were  really  less  aggravating 
than  on  the  upper  half  or  two-thirds  of  the  river. 

Starting  early  on  the  9th  with  a  light  wind  in  our  face  we  had  just 
reached  a  wide  open  part  of  the  river,  not  over  a  mile  from  camp,  when 
this  breeze  increased  to  a  gale,  with  white-capped  waves  3  or  4  feet 
high,  and  so  strong  as  to  hold  the  "  barka"  almost  at  a  stand-still  even 
in  this  strong  current.  We  were  compelled  to  run  for  an  anchorage, 
and  here  remained  until  4  p.  m.,  when  we  drifted  some  7  or  8  miles,  the 
wind  dying  to  a  calm,  and  the  mosquitoes  consequently  as  numerous 
as  ever.  1  found  that  day  that  the  "  barka,"  turned  broadside  to  a 
head  wind,  drifted  much  faster  than  when  head  or  stern  on,  and  this 
fact  afterwards  saved  us  many  miles  in  our  navigation.  I  afterwards 
ascertained  that  the  traders  on  the  river  secured  this  without  efltbrt  by 
suspending  a  heavy  anchor  or  large  bucket  or  basket  of  stones  from 
the  sprit  so  as  to  hang  in  the  water.  We  secured  the  same  result  by 
constant  work  at  the  stern  oar,  aided  by  the  hatchways  used  as  sails 
near  the  stern. 

The  8th  and  9th  we  passed  very  few  Iiulian  indications,  and,  in  gen- 


54  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

oral,  it  may  In*  well  to  ii'inaik  tliat  tor  some  distance  on  either  side  ot 
a  tradinjjT  station  the  Indians  seldom  are  very  numerous,  being  more  so 
at  the  station  itself  and  at  the  remotest  points  from  them. 

The  lOth  was  a  rei)etition  of  running  ashore  and  i)olinj]:  off,  as  the 
wind  came  up  or  died  down.  About  a  mile  below  Camp  51  we  passed 
an  Indian  villajxe  of  loj^-liouses  and  tents  on  the  north  bank,  holding 
jirobably  fifty  to  sixty,  there  being  a  large  fish-weir  or  trap  on  the  head 
of  the  island  directly  opposite.  These  Indians,  even  after  many  years' 
intercourse  with  the  Russians  previous  to  our  possession  of  the  country, 
seem  to  know  nothing  of  the  method  of  catching  salmon  by  gill-nets 
and  the  ease  ami  rapidity  of  the  same.  Again,  about  2  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  another  village  of  about  the  same  size  was  met  on  the  head 
of  oue  of  the  numerous  islands,  engaged,  as  before,  in  fishing. 

On  the  11th  we  drifted  to  Camp  53,  the  weather  disagreeable  in  the 
extreme,  and  but  few  Indian  locations  being  noticed. 

On  the  night  of  the  llth-12th  a  small  river  steamer  came  to  our 
camj),  having  put  up  below  a  few  miles  and  then  steatued  up  to  our  po- 
sition, upon  hearing  of  our  presence.  It  proved  to  be  a  small  river  boat 
built  by  the  iScheiffelin  party  of  miners,  and  as  they  were  leaving  the 
country  it  had  been  i)urchased  by  three  of  the  traders  of  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company,  who  had  become  dissatisfied  with  their  treatment 
by  that  com])any,  and  were  proposing  to  start  a  trading  company  of 
their  own.  It  is  called  the  "New  Kacket,"  and,  with  the  "Yukon"  and 
"St.  Michaels"  forms  the  entire  steam  fleet  on  the  river.  The  latter  is, 
however,  comparatively'  worthless. 

All  day  ou  the  12th  we  Avere  passing  Indian  villages,  houses,  graves, 
encampments,  «&c.,  probably  representing  250  to  300  or  400  people,  the 
greater  majority  of  whom  seem  indisposed  to  stir,  owing  to  the  inclem- 
ent weather.  At  3.30  we  passed  the  Indian  village  of  Sakadelontin  of 
the  map.  It  was  preceded  by  a  number  of  coffins  in  trees,  the  first  of 
this  character  seen  on  the  river.  Heavy  gloomy  weather  prevented 
photographs  on  a  most  interesting  part  of  the  river. 

On  the  13th  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Koyukuk,  the  largest  north- 
ern tributary  of  the  Yukon  River,  I  believe,  although  little  or  nothing 
is  known  any  great  distance  beyond  its  mouth.  The  Indians  on  its 
shores  have  the  worst  reputation  of  any  from  Fort  Yukon  to  its  mouth, 
but  as  they  have  uniformly  brought  vast  numbers  of  furs  to  the  nearest 
trading  posts,  the  traders  have  been  perfectly  willing  to  leave  their  coun- 
try- unexplored  and  allow  them  an  unmolested  possession.  Some  of  the 
outrages  of  the  Koyukuks  are  spoken  of  more  in  detail  in  the  subject 
of  Indians.  I  do  not  believe,  however,  that  they  would  resist  a  force 
of  twenty  or  twenty-five  well-armed  men  attempting  to  explore  and  in- 
vestigate their  country. 

The  night  of  the  13tli-Uth  raged  oue  of  the  severest  gales  we  en- 
countered on  the  river. 

The  14th  we  reached  Xulato,  apoint  of  considerable  importance  with 


MII.ITAKY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


55 


ret'ereuce  to  the  history  of  the  ohl  Kussian  Fur  Company,  it  being 
their  furtherest  outlying'  permanent  trading  station  on  the  Yukon  Kiver. 
It  has  been  the  scene  of  a  number  of  massacres  and  murders  si)oken  of 
under  the  head  of  Koyukuk  Indians,  and  at  the  date  of  our  visit  was 
abandoned,  owing  to  a  murder  of  a  Russian  trader  that  had  occurred 
some  two  or  three  years  before,  and  that  had  unsettled  the  ])eaceful  re- 
lations between  the  whites  and  natives.  Nulato  shows  much  finer  con- 
struction in  its  buildings,  erected  b.y  the  whites,  than  any  encountered 
on  the  river  so  far,  but  they  were  rapidly  being  torn  to  pieces  by  the 
natives  since  their  abandonment. 


Kk;.  38. 


The  15th  of  August  we  left  Nulato.  On  the  same  side  of  the  river, 
and  about  a  mile  below  this  point,  is  a  large  permanent  Indian  village 
of  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  houses  and  caches,  and  inhabited  by  prob- 
ably sixty  to  one  hundred  people  when  the  trading  stores  were  running, 
but  now  nearl}^  deserted.  A  number  of  Indian  villages  were  passed 
during  the  day  in  making  Camp  57,  but  most  of  them  seemed  thinly 
populated.  The  despicable  weather,  the  removal  of  the  trading  stores, 
and  the  hunting  season,  may  all  be  charged  with  this  apparent  discrep- 
ancy between  houses  and  i)eople.  From  about  this  general  section  of 
the  river  to  its  mouth  the  influence  of  Bering's  Sea,  and  even  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean,  commences  to  be  felt.  The  ground  does  not  freeze  to  such 
great  depth,  and  in  many  places,  especially  southern  exposures,  the 
thawing  of  the  summer  is  equal  to  the  dei)th  of  frost  in  winter,  which 
insures  partial  drainage,  and  the  tundra  laud,  though  still  existiug,  be- 
comes less  marshy  and  impassable  to  walking,  and  travels  into  the  in- 
terior becomes  possible.     From  the  Koyukuk  band,  already  spoken  of, 


5fi  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

oil  down  the  stiTiiin  Indians  iirc  fonnd  wlio  make  annual  inland  hunts 
in  suiiuner  time  to  secure  reindeer  and  other  pime,  instead  of  remaining- 
relifj^iously  on  the  river,  as  may  be  said  to  be  the  ease  above  these  points 
in  that  season. 

From  near  Jvalta<i'  to  the  mouth  there  is  no  high  land  on  the  southern 
bank,  except  that  that  can  be  seen  in  tlie  distance  in  the  way  of  low> 
isolated  ])eaks  and  short  monnlain  ranges,  while,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  short  stretches  at  the  mouth  of  a  sunill  creek,  the  laud  on  the  north 
bank  was  high  and  often  precipitous  even  to  the  water's  edge.  1  think 
it  not  im[)robable  that  Kaltag  was  an  ancient  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  and 
it  has  since  tilled  in  the  shallow  shores  to  the  present  delta.  So  shal- 
low is  Behring's  sea  on  it«  eastern  or  Alaskan  shores  that  the  dSbns  and 
sediment  of  the  Yukon  have  formed  Outlying'  shoals  for  a  distance  of 
nearly  1(K)  miles  from  the  beach,  and  across  these  shoals  of  sand  and 
mud  no  vessel  of  even  the  lightest  draught  can  pass  with  safety.  During 
storms  of  any  intensity  the  water  lashes  up  the  mud  from  the  bottom 
so  near,  and  this  serves  as  a  useful  warning  to  vessels  when  most 
needed.  It  is  this  tact  which  has  forced  the  port  of  the  Yukon  River 
nearly  a  hundred  miles  to  the  north  in  Norton  Sound  (Fort  Saint 
Michaels),  where  vessels  of  reasonable  tonnage  can  have  ready  access? 
and  to  reach  this'they  i)ass  in  and  out  of  the  Aplioon,  or  northern  mouth* 
I  believe,  however,  that  a  much  better  port  could  be  found  somewhere 
on  the  Kusiloak  or  main  mouth  of  the  river,  which  has  never  been  given 
a  ])roper  hydrographic  and  topographical  survey. 

The  10th  of  August  the  wind  and  rain  were  so  strong  from  ahead 
that  I  remained  over,  being  at  a  point  on  the  river  where  the  whole 
channel  was  in  sight,  obstructed  by  no  islands,  and  which  1  might 
mention  as  being  an  unusual  occurrence. 

My  object  in  camping  at  such  a  point  was  to  watch  for  the  river 
steamer  "Yukon"  to  take  the  "barka"  in  tow,  she  being  unable  to  pro- 
ceed out  to  sea,  having,  as  already  stated,  no  sails. 

On  the  17th  we  drifted  about  25  miles,  there  being  but  little  of  inter- 
est to  chronicle. 

The  18th  we  made  Camp  59,  and  the  10th  drifted  but  nine  hours,  owing 
to  the  heavy  head  gale,  which,  continuing  next  day,  we  remained  over. 

The  21st  of  Augustwe  camped  (No.  61)  at  Hall's  E,ai)ids  of  Raymond's 
ma]),  but  beyond  a  few  ripples  near  the  northern  bank  and  an  increase 
of  rai)i<lity  in  the  current  where  the  river  narrows,  there  was  nothing 
to  indicate  them. 

The  22nd  we  reached  Anvic,  a  trading  station  of  the  Alaska  Company, 
kept  by  Mr.  Fredericksen,  who  treated  us  very  kindly.  He  had  had  a 
good  deal  of  trouble  with  the  Shagelook  Indians  recently,  and  was  talk- 
ing of  abandoning  his  station  if  it  continued.  A  number  that  had  come 
down  to  be  baptized  by  the  priest  had  cut  open  a  couple  of  skin  boats 
to  show  their  feeling,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  friendly  tribes  at  the 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  57 

Station  be  thought  he  wouUl  have  been  robbed,  and  possibly  murdered, 
iu  case  he  made  any  resistance. 

The  23d  the  steamer  "Yukon"  overtook  us  and  took  us  in  tow,  the 
remainder  of  the  voyage  being  uneveutful,  but  the  survey"  of  the  river 
being  kept  up  to  the  Aphoon  mouth. 

On  the  30th  of  August  Saint  Michaels  was  reached  and  on  the  8th  of 
September  the  schooner  "Leo,"  that  had  relieved  Lieutenant  Ray's  mete- 
orological station  at  Point  Barrow,  came  into  Saint  Michaels  and  through 
the  kindness  of  that  officer  passage  was  secured  to  San  Francisco, 
where  the  party  arrived  October  5.  On  September  17  the  party  landed 
at  Ooualaska,  in  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  remained  several  days  study- 
ing and  compiling  data  regarding  the  Aleuts,  which  will  be  found  in  the 
proper  subhead. 

It  might  be  proper  in  closing  this  report  to  speak  of  those  to  whom  I 
found  mjself  under  obligations  from  time  to  time  in  the  prosecution  of 
the  enterprise. 

Of  course  to  the  members  of  the  party  itself  for  their  untiring  devo- 
tion in  their  several  departments  is  due  the  greatest  praise.  The  part 
of  this  report  devoted  to  Indians,  the  most  important  in  a  military  sense, 
is  due  almost  wholly  to  Dr.  Wilson,  the  surgeon. 

Beyond  these  I  should  like  to  mention  Brevet  Maj.  Gen.  Frank 
Wheaton,  colonel  Second  Infantry  ;  Lieut.  C.  A.  Williams,  Twenty- 
first  Infantry;  Collector  Morris,  at  Sitka,  Alaska;  Wm.  King  Lear, 
Wrangell,  Alaska;  Captain  Vanderbilt,  Killisnoo,  Alaska;  Mr.  Carl 
Si)uhu,  Killisnoo,  Alaska;  Mr.  Downing,  purser,  "Idaho,"  P.  C.  S.  S. 
Co.;  Captain  Carroll,  commanding  Idaho,  P.  C.  S.  S.  Co.;  Mr.  Greeuberg, 
of  Portland,  Oregon;  Mr.  G.  J.  Mitchel,  of  Portland,  Oregon;  Mr. 
Eobert  Habersham,  of  Portland,  Oregon;  Captain  Petersen,  command- 
ing Alaska  Company's  river  steamer  "Yukon;"  Mr.  Henry  ISTeumann, 
agent  Alaska  Company's  Station,  Saint  Michaels. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

FRED'K  SCHWATKA, 
First  Lieutenant,  Third  Cavalry,  Aid-de-Camp. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  INDIAN  TRIBES. 


TONGAS  IIVDIANS. 

This  tribe  of  Indians,  subdivided  into  two  band^,  the  "  Crows  "  and 
"  Wolves,"  inhabits  that  portion  of  Alaska  situated  about  40  miles 
north  of  the  boundary  line  of  British  Columbia,  along*  the  so-called 
"  inland  passage."  They  live  on  Tongas  Island  and  on  the  north  side 
of  Portland  Channel,  the  principal  village  being  on  the  island.  From 
Dixon  Entrance  to  their  villages  would  be  a  run  of  about  three  hours 
for  a  -moderately  fast  steamer.  The  habitations  are  permanent  and 
situated  near  the  water,  and  as  the  neighboring  country  is  mountainous, 
rough,  and  mainly  composed  of  islands,  duj  approach,  except  by  water, 
would  be  impracticable.  A  free  communication,  however,  is  kept  up 
throughout  the  adjacent  waters  by  means  of  canoes,  propelled  by  pad- 
dles and  sails,  and  of  various  sizes ;  those  used  in  war  having  an  aver- 
age capacity  of  about  three  tons. 

The  houses  themselves,  which  are  built  after  the  cross  section  as 
shown  here,  are  provided  with  a  cellar  about  6  feet  deep  and  20  feet 


wjjwiIWwtW^^ 


square,  used  principally  for  storage  purposes,  but  sufficiently  commodi- 
ous to  afford  the  inhabitants  protection  against  rifle  bullets  in  case  of 
an  attack. 

The  tribe  numbers  about  COO  souls  altogether,  about  200  being  war- 
riors, of  whom  the  greater  majority  can  be  called  able-bodied,  and  are 

59 


60  MILITARY     HKCONNAISSANCE     IN    A1,ASKA. 

provided  witli  some  descri|)ri()M  of  lir-e-iirm.  Tliese,  iinns  are  for  the 
most  i)art  Hudson  Bay  Com[)any  iiuiskets,  i>art  tlitit-lock  and  part  per- 
cussion, ordy  a  few  being  the  more  mo  lern  maga/aue-gun.  The  supply 
of  ammunition  is  poor,  and  at  present  obtained  from  the  English  at 
Fort  Simpson  and  the  salmon  cannery  at  Boca  Inlet. 

lu  case  of  war  with  this  Government  it  could  be  obtained  from  Fort 
Simpson  and  vicinity. 

Their  country  is  well  timbered,  producing  a  variety  of  berries  and 
sutlicient  grass  for  military  stock  in  summer  but  not  in  winter.  It  pre- 
sents fair  prospects  of  gold  and  silver,  and  abounds  in  mountain  sheep, 
mule  deer,  black  and  brown  bears,  while  the  waters  adjoining  furnish 
large  quantities  of  salmon,  halibut,  clams,  mussels,  and  sea-weed. 
These  last  named  articles — the  fish  being  eaten  both  fresh  and  dried — are 
the  principal  articles  of  food ;  the  8ui)ply  of  which  is  secured  mainly  dur- 
ing the  summer,  and,  with  the  addition  of  a  few  clams  and  mussels, 
attbrds  them  a  means  of  subsistence  in  winter.  In  case  of  war,  during 
the  summer  thej^  would  have  to  rely  on  the  game  in  the  mountains, 
while  in  winter,  as  they  have  no  domestic  animals  except  the  dog,  which 
would  furnish  them  food  for  oidj  a  few  weeks  at  the  longest,  the  ques- 
tion of  starvation  would  soon  prove  a  serious  one.  White  men's  cloth- 
ing is  universally  worn  by  the  tribe,  who  would  be  compelled  to  use 
furs  shoidd  the  S'lppl^'  of  clothes  be  cut  ott",  and  these  could  not  be 
obtained  in  sufficient  quantities  to  last  any  length  of  time. 

Ka-too-nah,  now  calling  himself  "  Ebbitts,"  after  the  old  chief,  who 
died  about  two  years  ago,  is  their  head  chief,  and  exerts  considerable 
influence,  not  so  much,  indeed,  though  as  the  two  "medicine  men," 
Nah-goot-klane  and  Kach-wan,  who  can  be  easily  bribed,  however,  with 
anything  that  is  useful  to  them.  In  the  event  of  hostilities  arising,  no 
Indian  allies  against  them  could  be  secured  in  the  neighboring  country, 
and  the  band  living  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Fox  would  most  likely 
unite  with  them. 

Such  an  event  is  not  probable,  however,  for  they  are  not  warlike, 
though  in  every  respect  brave;  have  never  been  at  war  with  the  whites 
(none  of  whom  have  settled  in  their  country),  and  at  present  entertain 
the  most  friendly  feeling  towards  the  white  people. 

Military  operations  could  be  conducted  in  the  country  all  the  year 
round,  and  to  troops  thus  emploj'ed,  besides  the  usual  campaign  sup- 
plies, a  number  of  small  boats  should  be  furnished;  probably  the 
best  means  of  using  a  force  against  them,  if  at  war,  would  be  to  send 
infantry  in  boats  holding  from  20  to  25  men,  with  small  Hotchkiss  can- 
non in  the  bows  to  drive  them  from  their  houses  and  force  them  into 
the  mountains,  where  they  would  be  unable  to  secure  sufficient  food  to 
keep  them  long.  A  small  steam  launch,  to  overtake  and  capture  their 
canoes,  which  are  as  fast  or  even  faster  than  small  boats,  would  be  an 
effective  auxiliary. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  61 


CAPE  FOX  i:n^dians. 

Kast-wan  is  the  head  chief  of  these  Indians,  l)oth  in  time  of  war  and 
in  peace,  and  exerts  a  powerful  influence  over  the  subchiefs  and  the 
entire  people.  At  present  they  have  no  "medicine  man."  the  old  one 
having  died  only  a  short  time  ago  and  no  one  yet  ai)i)ointed.  When 
the  services  of  such  au  individual  are  necessary,  however,  one  is  called 
in  from  their  neighbors,  and  his  opinions  are  eagerly  listened  to  and 
his  suggestions  observed.  The  tribe  numbers  about  250  souls  alto- 
gether, with  nearly  100  warriors,  most  of  whom  are  able-bodied  and 
provided  with  some  sort  of  fire-arm.  The  flint  and  percussion  lock 
musket  introduced  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  is  the  i)attern  of  gun 
most  frequentlj'  met  with,  only  very  few  of  the  men  having  the  improved 
rifles  now  generally  in  use.  Ammunition  is  poorly  supplied,  and  ob- 
tained from  Fort  Simpson  and  the  trader  at  Boca  Inlet.  In  event  of 
war  with  the  United  States,  Fort  Simpson  would  be  the  onlj^  source. 

Their  principal  village  was  situated  until  quite  recently  in  the  imme- 
diate neighborhood  of  Cape  Fox,  but  since  the  establishment  of  a  fish- 
ing industry  by  white  men  at  Boca  Inlet  this  has  been  moved  there, 
only  a  short  distance  from  the  cannery.  The  distance  from  the  village 
to  Dixon  Entrance  can  be  made  by  a  good  steamer  in  about  four  hours. 

The  region  of  country  occupied  by  the  tribe  is  in  the  southern  portion 
of  Alaska,  not  far  from  the  northern  boundary  of  the  British  posses- 
sions on  the  Pacific  coast.  It  consists  mainly  of  islands  and  head- 
lands, with  small  channels  intervening  and  intersected  by  numerous 
salt-water  inlets. 

The  country  is  rough  and  mountainous  in  character,  with  numerous 
streams  of  fresh  water  emptying  into  the  sea.  It  is  very  thickly  covered 
with  timber;  the  so-called  yellow  cedar  being  found  in  abundance, 
though  not  to  the  same  extent  as  further  north.  The  soil  itself  is  by 
no  means  fertile;  it  being  impossible  to  raise  any  sort  of  produce, 
although  various  kinds  of  grasses  flourish. 

Throughout  the  adjoining  waters  salmon  and  halibut  abound  in  great 
quantities,  the  former  to  such  an  extent  as  to  hav^e  recently  attracted 
the  attention  of  white  men,  as  previously  stated.  Various  wdd  animals 
are  found  in  this  region;  deer,  mountain  sheep,  and  black  bears  being 
most  frequently  met  with.  These,  however,  are  not  much  sought  after, 
as  these  Indians  are  almost  exclusively  fishermen.  Thej'  engage  in 
hunting  to  a  very  limited  extent,  and  rarely  venture  far  inland,  having 
a  kind  of  superstitious  dread  of  the  dense  forests,  which  they  imagine 
are  peopled  with  strange  creatures.  As  a  rule  they  are  industrious, 
many  being  employed  now  by  the  whites,  and  eager  to  improve  their  con- 
dition. Many  appeals  have  been  made  for  schools,  the  benefits  of  which 
having  been  seen  and  appreciated  through  their  intercourse  with  the 
natives  at  Fort  Simpson  and  vicinity,  where  indeed  many  good  results 
have  been  accomplished.    The  dwellings  of  this  tribe  are  permanently 


62  MILTTAUY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

sitMiitod  aloiii;'  the  salt  water,  and  so  similar  in  construction  to  those 
used  by  the  Tongas  Indians  as  to  require  no  repetition. 

The  principal  article  of  food  besides  fish  is  a  variety  of  sea-weed, 
which  is  «r;ithcred  •lurinf;  the  snninier,  carefully  dried  in  the  sun,  and 
l)ressed  intoslal.s  and  cakes.  This  is  (;onil)ined  with  tish  oil  when  eaten, 
and  not  only  supplies  the  place  of  our  many  varieties  of  food,  but  is 
considered  quite  a  delicacy,  notwithstandiiifi'  the  fact  that  its  odor  alone 
would  warn  a  civilized  indivi<lual,  ami  one  not  over-fastidious,  against 
even  tasting  it.  Besides  these  articles  of  diet  various  other  supplies, 
such  as  are  used  by  niiners  and  others  out  of  civilization,  are  obtained 
from  traders.  No  domestic  animals  are  found  among  them,  except  the 
dog,  which  is  not  employed  in  any  useful  cai)acity,  and  as  food,  in  the 
event  of  their  being  obliged  to  abandon  their  usual  sources,  would  not 
serve  them  long.  The  style  of  clothes  worn  by  the  whites  has  been 
universally  adopted  by  this  tribe,  these  articles  being  obtained  from  the 
same  sources  as  their  ammunition  and  other  supplies.  Should  these 
sources  be  cut  otit",  no  little  dififlculty  would  be  experienced  in  finding 
suitable  garments  as  a  substitute.  Communication  overland  through 
the  country  is  never  resorted  to,  the  only  means  of  transportation  being 
in  canoes,  which  are  built  of  cedar,  and  not  only  beautifully  modeled, 
but  very  light  and  swift.  These  are  propelled  by  means  of  paddles  and 
sails,  and  so  skillfully  as  to  enable  these  people  to  venture  on  consid- 
erable journeys. 

The  feeling  of  these  Indians  toward  the  white  people  is  in  every  respect 
most  friendly;  they  have  never  been  at  war  with  the  Russian  Govern- 
ment or  with  our  own,  and  hardly  realize  that  such  a  thing  exists.  An 
active  campaign  against  them  could  be  conducted  all  the  year  through 
unassisted  though  by  any  neighboring  Indians  as  allies,  for  the  Tongas 
tribe  would  undoubtedly  unite  with  them.  As  the  country  differs  in  so 
few  particulars  from  that  occupied  by  the  Tongas,  the  only  unusual  cam- 
]>aign  suj)ply,  in  case  of  war,  would  be  likewise  a  number  of  small  boats. 
These  should  be  sufliciently  large  to  accommodate  about  20  men  and  a 
small  cannon  in  the  bows  to  force  them  from  their  houses,  and  by  guard- 
ing against  an  escape  by  water  it  would  be  difficult  for  them  to  hold  out 
long. 

STICKEEN  INDIAIS^S. 

This  tribe  for  many  years  in  direct  intercourse  with  the  white  people, 
has,  as  is  usual,  not  only  derived  many  lasting  benefits  therefrom, 
through  a  keen  desire  to  learn  and  improve  their  condition,  but  on  the 
other  hand  many  of  the  vices  aiul  corruptions  of  civilization  have  like- 
wise been  acquired. 

The  various  whites  who  have  entered  the  countrj',  except  perhaps 
miners,  have  invariably  l)een  attracted  by  trade,  so  that  as  a  protection 
to  themselves  these  Indians  were  forced  to  become  shrewd  and  sharj^- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  63 

witted,  which  traits  are  very  apparent  in  their  character  with  only  a 
short  acqnaintance.  As  a  rule  they  are  of  a  very  superior  intelligence, 
and  have  always  manifested  great  eagerness  to  acquire  civilized  im- 
provements, both  in  the  manner  of  living  and  in  working.  Civilized 
clothes  are  generally  worn,  and  the  plain  varieties  of  food  indulged  in 
by  frontiersmen  accepted. 

The  territory  which  they  occupy  lies  near  the  western  boundary  of 
British  Columbia,  distant  about  a  fourteen-hours'  run  from  Dixon  En- 
trance. It  is  limited  to  Wrangell  Island  and  the  district  of  country 
along  the  Stickeen  Eiver,  which  stream  has  its  source  in  British  Co- 
lumbia, and  flows  thence  in  a  southwesterly  direction  through  the 
American  ppssessions  into  the  sea.  The  country  is  very  generally 
mountainous,  and  well  timbered  throughout,  the  yellow  cedar  flourish 
ing  luxuriantly.  The  soil  itself  is  not  fertile,  but  more  so  than  the 
country  to  tlie  south,  and  the  season  too  short  for  any  except  the  hard- 
ier varieties  of  vegetables  to  mature.  Potatoes  can  be  grown  here,  and 
in  fact  are  cultivated  in  considerable  quantities  by  the  Indians.  A  few 
years  ago  gold  was  discovered  near  the  headwaters  of  the  Stickeen 
River  in  such  quantities  as  to  attract  universal  attention  and  draw  many 
men  to  the  vicinity.  Fort  Wrangell,  situated  on  the  island,  and  at 
present  unoccupied  by  troops,  was  the  depot  for  supplies  and  the 
starting-point  for  the  mines.  Here  many  prospectors,  industrious  and 
otherwise,  spent  the  winters,  awaiting  the  approach  of  warm  weather, 
so  that  a  marked  impression  has  been  left  on  the  Indians  by  their  pres- 
ence. In  those  most  susceptible,  and  these  are  largely  in  the  majority, 
the  taste  for  alcoholic  stimulants  was  not  only  given  a  great  impetus, 
but  has  actually  become  a  craving.  As  a  remedy  for  this,  restrictions 
were  instituted  against  the  introduction  of  liquor  into  the  country, 
which  answered  in  a  measure,  but  when  the  Indians  found  it  impossible 
to  procure  a  supply  they  began  the  manufacture  of  a  compound  of  their 
own,  from  molasses,  called  "  hoochenoo,"  which  has  necessitated  cus 
toms  regulations  against  this  article  as  well. 

The  principal  village  of  the  tribe  adjoins  Fort  Wrangell,  and  consists 
of  a  number  of  well-built  houses.  These  are  made  of  planks  about 
3  inches  thick,  and  each  plank  as  a  rule  shaped  from  a  log  by  hand. 

They  are  then  set  on  edge  and  nicely  fitted  together,  while  a  roof 
of  bark,  with  a  hole  for  the  smoke,  protects  the  inmates  from  the 
weather.  The  floor  is  of  dirt,  and  in  consequence  uninjured  by  the  fire 
in  the  center,  over  which  the  simple  diet  of  the  household  is  cooked. 

Their  principal  article  of  food  is  fish  of  various  kinds,  such  as  halibut, 
salmon,  codfish,  and  herring,  all  of  wbich  are  found  in  abundance  in 
the  adjacent  waters.  Besides  these,  they  also  employ  the  inner  soft 
bark  of  a  species  of  cedar,  large  quantities  of  which  are  collected  and 
stored  away  for  winter  consumption.  Many  of  the  plainer  articles  of 
food,  such  as  are  consumed  by  frontiersmen,  are  sold  them  by  traders, 
as  stated  before. 


64  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

The  tribe  mi iiibera  about  800  souls  altogetlier,  with  ]»robably  300  men 
who  wouhl  be  cnpabh'  of  bcariiifj^  arms  in  thein'cnt  of  an  universal  out- 
break. The  tire-arms  which  they  use  are  generally  the  old  Lludsou  Bay 
musket,  but  many  are  supplied  with  the  modern  repeating  ritlt^s,  though 
not  of  the  latest  ])atteins.  The  number  of  these  imi)roved  rifles  found 
among  this  tribe  is  far  greater  than  any  other  along  this  i)art  of  the 
Territory  on  account  of  their  long  intercourse  with  miners  and  the  close 
l)roximity  of  the  Cassiar  mines,  where  many  of  the  Indians  were  em- 
ployed and  paid,  directly  and  indirectly,  with  arms. 

In  187G  an  Indian  from  Fort  Simpson  started  a  school  at  Wrangell 
and  very  soon  gathered  about  him  almost  100  pui)ils.  At  this  time  the 
post  was  occupied,  and  a  soldier,  impressed  with  the  eagerness  of  the 
l)eople  to  learn,  made  an  appeal  for  a  competent  teacher^  This,  after 
some  delay,  was  responded  to,  and  a  good  school  opened  shortly  after- 
wards, which  has  continued  to  prosper  and  increase  in  average  attend- 
ance to  such  an  extent  as  to  require  the  services  of  two  or  three  addi- 
tional teachers.  Many  good  results  are  manifest,  through  the  influence 
of  the  school  and  tyachers,  for  in  many  cases  the  young  girls  have  been 
taken  away  from  their  mothers,  who,  according  to  their  cnstoms,  con- 
sider them  an  article  of  trade,  and  frequently  sold  them  to  white  men. 
Cleanliness,  a  virtue  so  little  thought  of  and  cultivated  by  most  Indians, 
has  likewise  been  instilled  into  the  minds  of  the  attendants  by  the  same 
means. 

The  tribe  is  not  warlike,  and  at  present  is  very  friendly  toward  the 
whites,  although  a  number  of  years  ago  they  captured  a  trading  schooner 
and  murdered  the  crew.  A  general  outbreak  against  the  whites  has  never 
occurred,  and  the  only  difficulties  have  been  occasioned  either  through 
disagreements  in  matters  of  trade  or  on  account  of  a  too  free  indulgence 
in  liquor. 

The  presence  of  a  gun-boat  has  always  inspired  them  with  great  awe, 
and  they  have  the  greatest  respect  for  weapons  of  warfare  sui)erior  to 
those  employed  by  themselves.  In  the  event  of  actual  hostilities  boats 
of  some  description  would  be  necessary,  as  they  are  very  generally  pro- 
vided with  large  and  well-constructed  canoes,  and  are  thorough  masters 
in  the  art  of  navigating  them.  No  refuge  could  be  obtained  away  from 
the  sea- shore  where  they  could  secure  sufhcient  food  and  other  necessi- 
ties for  existence,  so  that  a  campaign  against  them  would  in  consequence 
be  very  near,  if  not  wholly,  on  the  water.  In  regard  to  the  name  of  this 
tribe  and  river,  several  who  have  had  occasion  to  mention  them  in  writing, 
have  seen  fit  to  adopt  different  ways  of  spelling,  and  some  go  so  far  as  to 
spell  the  name  of  the  river  different  from  that  of  the  tribe,  although  the 
l)ronunciation  in  no  case  is  affected.  It  is  variously  written  as  Stakhin, 
Stakhine,  Stikine,  and  Stickeen,  the  last  being  adopted  here  as  giving 
the  most  exact  idea  of  the  sound. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  65 


SITKA  INDIAIN^S. 

Sitka  or  New  Archangel,  as  it  was  called  by  the  Ivussians  before  the 
purchase  of  the  territory  by  our  Goveruiiieut,  coutaiued  about  1,000 
iuhabitants,  one  third  of  whom  were  Russians.  It  was  then  the  great 
center  of  trade  and  commerce  for  the  country,  but  since  the  transfer  of 
the  fur  interests  to  Americans  the  place  has  been  abandoned  as  a 
prominent  commercial  point,  it  is  situated  on  the  western  side  of  Bar. 
anoif  Island  in  a  picturesque  harbor  leading  out  to  the  open  sea,  distaiit 
about  fifteen  hours'  run  from  Dixou  Entrance  by  the  outside  passage 
and  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  hours  by  the  Inland  Passage  through 
Peril  Straits. 

These  Indians,  who  have  given  their  name  to  the  town  and  harbor, 
have  their  principal  village  adjoining  the  town,  and,  like  their  brethren 
who  live  further  south,  have  always  given  evidence  of  a  sui)erior  intel- 
ligence and  independence.  They  are  naturally  indolent,  however,  and 
fond  of  dress,  and  exert  themselves  to  hunt  and  trade  in  order  to  gratify 
this  fancy.  Their  houses,  as  a  rule,  are  well  and  'substantially  con- 
structed of  logs,  and  through  the  influence  and  suggestions  of  different 
naval  officers,  of  late  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  surroundings  has 
been  much  imi^roved  by  the  digging  of  gutters,  which  carry  off  the  ac- 
cumulating filth  and  water.  At  first  this  tribe  was  opposed  to  the 
change  of  governments,  as  Sitka  became  immediately  quite  insignificant, 
but  they  were  soon  afterwards  reconciled  and  have  been  since  very 
friendly. 

Having-  the  Russians  for  so  long  a  time  in  such  close  proximity  has 
left  its  impress  on  this  people  in  several  ways.  There  were  intermar- 
riages, and  the  offspring  of  these  unions  have  generally  remained  in  the 
country,  so  that  now  there  is  a  very  marked  trace  of  Russian  blood 
throughout  the  tribe.  As  these  foreigners  were  not  always  the  very 
best  class  of  citizens,  the  manners,  customs,  and  habits  acquired  of  them 
by  the  natives  are  not  those  to  be  most  admired.  On  the  other  hand, 
schools  were  established  very  earl}'  in  this  century,  but  did  not  amount 
to  much  until  1820,  when  they  were  taken  in  charge  by  a  naval  oflicer, 
who  superintended  them  for  fifteen  years.  After  this  they  became  very 
efficient,  under  a  creole  by  the  name  of  Etolen.  All  educational  ad  van 
tages  were  taken  away  at  the  time  of  the  Russian  exodus,  and  for  about 
ten  years  afterwards  no  attention  was  given  to  the  subject;  in  fact  it 
was  not  until  1880  that  a  school  was  established  on  a  firm  basis.  This 
has  continued  to  prosper,  and  now,  as  a  better  means  of  securing-  at- 
tendance and  removing-  the  boys  from  bad  influence  at  home,  a  boarding 
department  has  been  established.  The  tribe  numbers  now  about  1,000 
souls  in  all,  of  whom  about  150  are  capable  of  bearing  arms  in  case  of 
a  general  disagreement.  They  are,  however,  not  warlike  in  disposition, 
though  brave  enough  when  occasion  arises,  and  like  all  their  neighbors, 
have  acquired  an  inordinate  taste  for  alcohol  in  isouie  shape  or  other. 
S.  Ex.  2 5 


66  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

lletbrc  the  strict  regulations  against  the  introduction  of  li(inor  were  in- 
stituted, no  event  eonld  be  celebrated,  no  ceremony  coniiilete,  or  e.\[)e- 
dition  undertaken  without  tiie  interested  party  first  indulging  in  such 
(juantities  of  liciuor  as  to  render  the  party  wholly  unfit  for  anything. 
The  native  drink  of  '' hooehenoo"  supplied  the  necessary  stimulation 
tor  some  time  after  the  (lustoms  regulations  were  instituted,  but  as  the 
principal  ferments  for  the  manufacture  of  this  have  recently  been  pro- 
hibited as  well,  drunkenness  is  not  so  prevalent.  As  a  result  of  this 
inclination  and  their  long  intercourse  with  traders  as  well,  honor  is  not 
considered  an  attribute  sufliciently  worthy  of  cultivation,  and,  indeed, 
never  enters  into  the  mind  of  most  of  them.  No  insult  can  be  offered 
them  so  deadly  that  cannot  be  atoned  for  by  a  pecuniary  recompense 
of  some  nature. 

The  tiiearms  employed  l)y  them  are  as  a  rule  the  same  as  those  men- 
tioned before,  namely,  the  old  Hudson  Bay  Company  muskets,  some 
Hint  and  some  percussion,  Avith  very  few  improved  rifles.  The  supply 
of  ammunition,  obtained  from  traders,  is  poor  in  quality  and  in  quantity, 
and,  as  it  is  only  purchased  when  needed,  would  be  entirely  cut  off  in 
the  event  of  war  with  this  country,  except,  perhaps,  by  making  the 
journey  to  Fort  Simpson.  This  source  could  hardly  be  taken  into  ac- 
count, however,  as  the  distance  is  considerable,  and  their  only  means 
of  transportation  is  by  canoes,  which,  indeed,  are  large,  well  built,  and 
ably  managed  by  their  owners. 

Civilized  clothes,  except,  i)erhaps,  shoes,  are  worn  by  this  tribe,  and 
they  likewise  purchase  many  articles  of  food  from  traders.  Fish  is  their 
principal  food,  halibut,  cod,  and  herring  being  found  abundantly,  the 
last  in  such  quantities  as  to  be  secured  by  means  of  a  simple  implement 
similar  to  a  rake.  They  merely  whip  the  water  with  this  and  rarely 
fail  securing  a  fish  on  every  jirong.  The  countrj'  adjoining  does  not 
differ  much  from  that  already  spoken  of,  being  a  net-work  of  islands 
with  salt  water  channels  and  inlets  intervening.  It  is  generally  mount- 
ainous and  thickly  covered  with  timber,  and  produces  only  the  hardier 
varieties  of  vegetables  and  other  produce. 

The  principal  animals  hunted  are  deer,  mountain  sheep,  and  mountain 
goat,  the  horns  of  which  furnish  them  material  for  the  manufacture  of 
ladles  and  sjjoous,  which  are  oftentimes  very  curiously  carved,  while 
the  wool  affords  them  material  for  making  blankets. 

The  influence  and  poi)ularity  of  a  chief  among  these  Indians  dei)ends 
largely  on  his  liberality,  it  being  a  custom  among  them  to  give  what  is 
known  as  "potlatch"  when  an  individual  desires  to  secure  favor.  This 
is  a  kind  offcast  where  each  guest  receives  a  present,  and  as  much  as  $500 
worth  of  blankets  are  known  to  have  been  distributed  at  such  a  gather- 
ing. 

Many  outbreaks  have  been  threatened  by  this  tribe,  arising  mainly 
through  the  influence  of  liquor  and  the  natural  viciousness  of  some  in- 
fluential man  with  the  idea  of  bettering  his  condition.     In  1877,  after 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  67 

the  witlulrawal  of  the  troops,  cousulerable  excitement  was  occasioned 
by  the  threats  of  a  chief,  known  as  "Sitka  Jack,"  but  the  appearance 
of  a  gnn-boat  quieted  this  without  any  Woodshed.  As  friendship,  un- 
accompanied by  any  prospect  of  reward,  is  by  no  means  a  characteristic 
trait  of  these  Indians,  bribes  of  some  kind  judiciously  made  would  at 
least  prevent  the  neighboring  tribes  joining  as  allies,  provided  they  did 
not  feel  aggrieved  themselves,  and  perhaps  secure  them  as  a  valuable 
aid  to  the  whites. 

The  medicine  man,  or  "  shaman,"  as  he  is  more  generally  called,  exerts 
a  strong  influence  with  the  people,  and  as  his  skill  is  exerted  more  es- 
pecially against  evil  spirits,  and  in  determining  iniporLant  questions, 
Thau  in  curing  disease,  it  would  be  a  great  aid,  in  the  event  of  war,  if 
he  could  be  inspired  by  a  spirit  who  would  at  least  not  be  an  enemy  of 
the  white  people.  This  tribe  of  Indians  have  always  had  the  reputation 
of  being  the  worst  of  all  the  Thlinkets,  and  although  it  has  never  en- 
gaged actively  against  the  Americans  as  a  tribe,  nevertheless,  to  the 
Eussians,  it  was  for  a  long  time  a  discordant  element  and  the  cause  of 
many  bloody  feuds.  The  natives  looked  with  hostility  upon  the  erec-^ 
tion  of  the  lirst  permanent  post  in  this  region.  Fort  Archangel  Gabriel,, 
near  the  present  site  of  Sitka,  and  in  less  than  two  years  afterwards 
called  a  council  on  one  of  the  islands  for  the  purpose  of  devising  means 
of  driving  out  the  Eussians. 

In  May,  1802,  the  fort  was  attacked,  the  inmates  driven  out,  and  over 
thirty  people  killed.  The  remainder  took  to  the  woods  and  were  only 
saved  by  the  opportune  arrival  of  an  English  vessel.  Later  in  this 
same  year  many  Aleuts  and  Eussians  were  attacked  in  one  of  the  nu- 
merous  bays  and  only  the  commander  and  some  few  Aleuts  escaped. 
A  sensational  story  is  told,  partly  true,  no  doubt,  of  the  Indians  forti- 
fying themselves  on  a  rock,  the  present  site  of  Sitka,  defending  it 
with  two  cannon  previously  captured,  and  only  evacuating  it,  without 
surrendering,  however,  after  exhausting  their  supply  of  ammunition. 
This  occurred  in  1804,  and  the  Indians  are  said  to  have  killed  a  num- 
ber of  dogs  and  even  infants  to  prevent  them  giving  an  alarm,  and  be- 
fore leaving  their  position  succeeded  in  killing  and  wounding  many 
Eussians.  This  hostile  feeling  was  very  embarrassing  to  the  new  set- 
tlers, not  only  on  account  of  their  being  constantly  in  imminent  danger 
of  losing"  their  lives,  but  the  natives  also  could  not  be  induced  to  trade 
and  even  maintained  this  determination  until  about  1815,  after  which  a 
more  friendly  feeling  arose.  As  the  country  occujiied  by  these  Indians 
is  so  similar  to  that  previously  mentioned,  the  character  of  a  campaign 
and  the  unusual  supplies  needed  would  be  essentially  the  same,  and 
as  there  are  likewise  very  few  trails  inland  such  a  campaign  would  un- 
doubtedly be  near,  if  not  on,  the  water. 


6H  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


KOOTZNAIIOO  INDIAX8. 

In  regard  to  the  spelling  and  pronnnciation  of  the  name  of  this  tribe 
various  ways  are  employe*!,  arising  from  a  ditt'ereuee  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  sound  by  different  individuals,  owing  to  the  extreme  diffi- 
culty of  learning  the  language.  It  has  been  variously  spelled  Kootz- 
iiahoo,  Koutznou,  Kootznoo,  and  Kooshnoo,  which,  in  almost  each 
case,  would  convey  nearly  the  same  sound.  The  tribe  is  divided  into 
two  bands,  the  Ivootznahoos  proiier  and  the  NeltoosUins,  each  of  which 
is  com])Osed  of  many  families,  and  occupies  a  separate  village  on  the 
western  shore  of  Admiralty  Island  between  Point  Gardner  and  Point 
Eetreat.  The  Kootznahoos  have  their  principal  village  near  Kootznese 
Head,  at  the  mouth  of  Hood's  Inlet,  while  tin'  Neltooskins,  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  live  about  12  miles  south  of  this.  The 
country,  like  that  i)reviously  described,  is  mountainous  and  rough, 
thickly  covered  with  timber,  and  surrounded  in  every  direction  by 
water.  The  run  from  Dixon  Entrance  could  be  made  by  a  moderately 
fast  steamer,  in  from  eighteen  to  twenty  hours.  This  region  abounds 
in  various  kinds  of  game,  the  ones  principally  hunted  by  the  natives 
being  deer  and  bears.  The  soil  is  generally  moist,  thickly  covered  with 
moss,  and  not  especially  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of  the  ordinary 
garden  produce,  notwithstanding  which,  however,  the  Indians  raise 
considerable  quantities  of  potatoes  and  turnips. 

The  houses  occupied  by  them  are  built  permanently  near  the  water's 
edge,  of  logs  and  hewn  timber.  Most  of  them  are  provided  with  cel- 
lars, and,  as  a  rule,  are  absolutely  bullet  proof,  Init  would  necessarily 
be  abandoned  if  the  attacking  force  were  provided  with  the  lightest 
forms  of  artiller}-.  Regular  streets,  lanes,  and  alleys  separate  the 
different  houses,  which  are  generally  surrounded  by  small  gardens, 
planted  in  well  heaped-up  rows,  to  allow  of  ample  drainage,  as  the  rain- 
fall in  this  region  is  very  considerable. 

Strips  of  bark  are  stretched  across  from  the  fence  on  each  side  so  as 
to  present  the  appearance  of  a  net  or  snare  to  the  ravens,  which  are  very 
numerous  and,  unless  some  such  device  is  resorted  to,  prove  very  de- 
structive to  anything  like  a  garden.  The  adjoining  waters  abound  in 
many  varieties  of  tish,  those  found  in  greatest  abundance  being  galmon, 
halibut,  cod,  and  herring*.  At  Killisnoo  quite  an  extensive  establish- 
ment is  in  operation  for  the  curing  and  packing  of  cod  and  herring-,  and 
has  not  only  proved  a  pecuniary  success  to  the  originators,  but  has  given 
the  Indians  emi)loyment,  and  has  thrown  them  more  intimately  in  con 
uection  with  the  white  people.  These  Indians  have  seen  and  appre- 
ciated the  advantages  of  education,  and  have  made  numerous  requests 
for  the  establishment  of  a  school  in  their  neighborhood,  but  up  to  this 
time  one  has  not  been  opened. 

As  a  rule  they  are  industrious  and  willing  to  work,  although  very 
prone  to  dictate  their  own  terms  of  pay,  and  especially  apt  to  stop  work 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  69 

when  injiulicionsly  paid  beforeliaiid  or  when  they  have  tlieir  employ- 
ers at  a  disadvantage  and  see  an  opportunity  of  improving  the  terms. 
Their  ideas  of  anything  lilce  a  business  contract,  notwithstanding  a 
pledge  be  given,  are  very  crude  indeed. 

Besides  furnishing  them  food,  they  have  to  rely  on  the  water  for  com- 
munication with  tlieir  neighbors,  through  the  medium  of  their  large 
and  well  built  canoes,  as  there  are  very  few  trails  inland,  and  these  are 
not  made  use  of  except  perhaps  by  hunting  parties.  The  various  kinds 
of  fish  already  meutioned,  grease  and  oil  obtained  therefrom,  pressed 
seaweed,  the  inner  bark  of  the  spruce  and  a  certain  edible  root,  together 
with  potatoes,  which  they  raise,  are  their  chief  articles  of  food,  inde- 
pendent of  the  white  people  ;  but  they  also  rely  on  the  trading  stores 
for  various  other  articles.  Ample  provision  is  made  for  the  long  win- 
ters by  securing  quantities  of  these  same  articles  which  are  stored  up  in 
their  houses.  The  clothes  which  thej'  wear  are  such  as  are  used  by  the 
whites  and  are  universally  preferred  to  those  made  of  skins,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  of  their  being  well  versed  in  the  art  of  tanning,  and 
could  manage  to  get  along  in  this  way,  though  indifferently,  in  the  event 
of  their  supply  being  cut  off. 

The  tribe  numbers  from  GOO  to  800  souls,  with  from  250  to  300  men 
who  could  be  considered  as  able-bodied.  The  old  flint  and  percussion 
lock  musket  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  is  the  pattern  of  gun  most 
generally  in  use,  together  with  quite  a  number  of  percussion  revolvers 
and  very  few,  if  any,  magazine  rifles.  Ammunition,  as  well  as  the  va- 
rious other  useful  articles  which  they  buy,  is  obtained  from  Killisnoo, 
which  place  would  be  shut  off  should  trouble  occur  with  this  Govern- 
ment, and  then  their  nearest  source  would  be  at  Fort  Simpson.  Each 
of  the  two  subdivisions  of  the  tribe  has  a  separate  chief,  Kanalkoo 
being  the  head  chief  of  the  Kootznahoos,  over  whom  he  has  not  a  great 
deal  of  influence,  while  Kahchutka  occupies  the  same  position  among 
the  Neltooskins,  who,  with  the  subchiefs  as  well,  hav^e  great  respect  for 
his  opinions  and  suggestions.  In  the  event  of  hostilities  these  two 
bands  would  in  all  probability  unite,  although  they  might  not,  as  a  <1iffi- 
culty  occurred  between  them  some  twenty  years  ago,  since  which  time 
there  has  not  been  the  greatest  friendship  manifested.  The  head  chiefs 
in  such  an  event  might  likewise  be  changed,  for,  in  a  quarrel  which  oc- 
curred a  few  years  ago  with  the  Stickeens,  the  tribe  was  led  by  a  Kootz- 
nahoo  woman,  known  as  "  Feather  Legs." 

In  regard  to  the  medicine  men,  each  band  has  one  or  two,  and  their 
influence,  though  almost  lost  among  the  Kootznahoos  proper,  is  very 
strong  with  the  Neltooskins.  These  shamans  are  supposed  to  be  in- 
spired, but  nevertheless  are  essentially  mortal,  and  resemble  the  rest 
of  the  tribe  so  closely  that  a  well-directed  bribe,  should  occasion  occur, 
would  not  fail  in  producing  happy  results. 

This  tribe  of  Indians,  as  a  distinct  band,  have  never  been  at  war  with 
the  Russian  Grovernment,  and  have  had  but  one  serious  difficulty  with 


70  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

the  United  States,  which  liappoju'd  a  little  over  a  year  ago.  Several  of 
the  men  were  ein])l()ye«l  by  the  Northwest  Trading  Company  on  a  small 
steam  launch  in  catching  whales,  and  one  man  was  killed  by  the  acciden- 
tal discharge  of  a  bomb-gun,  used  for  hurling  the  lauce.  The  Indians, 
instigated  by  a  woman,  it  is  said,  saw  in  this  an  oj^portunit}'  of  gratify- 
ing their  avarice,  and  immediately  demanded  two  hundred  l)Iankets  as 
a  consolation  for  their  giief  and  recompense  for  the  death  of  this  mem- 
ber, and,  iu  order  to  make  their  demand  more  emphatic,  took  forcible 
possession  of  two  white  men,  held  them  as  hostages,  and  threatened 
to  kill  them  unless  their  demands  were  coni])lied  with.  These  claims 
Avere,  of  course,  considered  absurd  in  every  respect,  aud  the  Indians 
were  informed  that  their  villages  would  be  destroyed  unless  the  men 
were  given  up.  This  threat  was  looked  upon  in  the  light  of  a  joke  l)y 
the  tribe,  who  had  no  real  appreciation  of  the  character  of  a  gun-boat 
and  the  guns  with  which  one  is  ordinarily  provided,  consequently  they 
showed  no  inclination  at  all  to  comply.  A  small  tug-boat  was  then 
e(iuipped  with  a  crew  and  arms  from  a  Government  vessel,  aud  soon 
afterwards  opened  fire  ui)on  the  village.  At  first  the  shots  were  well 
directed  entirely  over  the  houses,  so  as  to  allow  the  occupants  ample 
time  to  escape,  after  which  several  of  the  houses  were  destroyed,  more 
for  the  moral  effect  than  from  any  desire  to  injure  their  property. 
After  this  the  Indians  were  only  too  glad  to  listen  to  reason,  and  not- 
withstanding the  numy  adverse  criticisms  and  slurs  cast  ui)on  the  ])ro- 
ceeding  by  numerous  papers  throughout  the  country,  the  general  result, 
as  attested  by  the  white  men  in  the  neighboring  country-,  has  proved 
most  salutary. 

The  Indians,  without  sustaining  any  loss  of  life  or  serious  loss  of 
l)roi)erty,  which  would  necessarily  have  occasioned  a  certain  amount 
of  bitterness,  now  ap])reciate  fully  what  the  white  people  are  capable 
of  accomplishing  against  them,  and  since  that  time  have  not  only  con- 
ducted themselves  more  respectfully,  but  also  now  entertain  a  higher 
rega)d  and  a  more  friendly  feeling  toward  the  Government  and  the 
white  men  living  in  the  country. 

At  this  time  the  tribe  threatened  to  abandon  their  houses  and  stores 
and  retreat  inland,  but  manifested  no  tendency  to  carry  it  into  eflect, 
which  shows  that  such  a  proceeding  was  at  least  thought  of,  and  at 
the  same  time  its  dilticulties  fully  appreciated.  Xone  of  the  neighbor- 
ing tribes  joined  them  in  this  difficulty,  and,  iu  all  probability,  would 
not  do  so  should  occasion  occur  again,  and  further,  would  not  unite 
with  the  whites  as  allies  unless  sufficient  inducement  were  ottered  iu 
the  way  of  reward.  Military  operations  can  be  conducted  all  the  year 
through  by  water,  and  as  all  their  belongings  are  situated  so  near  the 
sea,  a  campaign  against  them,  to  be  successful,  would  undoubtedly  re- 
quire a  number  of  boats  as  an  unusual  campaign  supply. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  71 


IIOOXAH   INDIANS. 

This  tribe  of  ludiaus,  whose  name  is  variously  spelled  Hoonah, 
Hiiima,  Hoonyah,  aud  ITooueak,  uunibers  in  all  from  000  to  800  souls, 
with  from  250  to  300  so  called- warriors. 

They  have  not  been  thrown  so  intimately  with  white  men  as  many  of 
the  other  tribes  of  this  large  family,  but  through  intercourse  with  other 
Indians  aud  a  few  traders,  who  have  been  in  the  neighboring-  country 
for  many  years,  civilized  improvements  in  manners  and  customs  have 
been  verj^  generally  acquired.  The^^  are  naturally  bright,  aud  from 
their  long  experience  in  matters  of  trade  have  become  very  shrewd ; 
combiuiug  this  quick  Avit  with  an  entire  lack  of  scruple,  a  merchant 
with  no  lack  of  business  tact  would  find  himself  sadly  worsted  in  a 
trade  unless  acquainted  with  their  character.  In  bringing  about  a  trade 
all  sorts  of  devices  are  employed  to  enhance  the  value  of  their  furs,  and 
it  is  said  that  skins  of  small  value  have  even  been  dyed  so  as  to  repre- 
sent a  more  valuable  variety  of  the  same  animal.  As  a  rule,  they  are 
quite  industrious  aud  willing  to  work  for  the  whites,  if  paid  sufficiently 
well  to  suit  their  own  ideas  of  justice,  but  if  i^rovided  with  all  the 
necessary  comforts  in  the  way  of  food  and  clothiugthey  are  not  greatly 
distressed  on  being  out  of  employment.  During  the  summer  of  1881  a 
school  was  established  at  their  principal  village,  which  was  immediately 
well  attended,  its  advantages  being  fully  appreciated  by  the  older 
members  of  the  tribe,  who  had  made  many  requests  for  one  previous  to 
this  time.  The  tribe  is  separated  into  two  villages,  the  larger  of  which 
is  situated  on  the  northeastern  shore  of  Chicagoff  Island,  at  Port  Fred- 
erick, while  the  smaller  is  on  the  mainland  directly  opposite.  This 
point  is  distant  from  Dixon  Entrance  a  run  of  about  twenty-five  hours 
Their  houses  are  well  built  of  roughly  hewn  timber,  near  the  water's  edge- 
aud,  as  a  rule,  substantial  enough  to  prevent  the  passage  of  bullets, 
but  would  necessarily  have  to  be  abandoned  should  any  weapons  carry- 
ing larger  missiles  be  used  against  them.  The  character  of  the  country 
does  not  differ  from  that  further  south,  being  mountainous  near  the 
water  and  hilly  inland.  It  is  everywhere  thickly  covered  Mith  timber, 
and  generally  unproductive  unless  great  labor  be  expended  in  clearing 
and  draining.  The  Indians,  however,  do  cultivate  gardens  and  raise 
considerable  quantities  of  potatoes,  which  vegetable  holds  a  very  im- 
portant place  among  them  as  an  article  of  food.  Deer  and  bears  are 
found  throughout  the  country,  and  are  hunted  for  their  skins  aud  meat- 
Besides  this  game,  their  chief  reliance  for  food,  except  what  they  obtain 
from  traders,  is  in  fisli,  cod,  herring,  halibut,  aud  salmon  being  found 
iu  abundance.  Many  seals  are  also  caught  in  the  adjacent  waters,  the 
flesh  of  which  is  likewise  used  as  food.  The  fire-arms  found  among  them 
are  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  muskets,  flint  and  percussion  lock,  also 
some  percussion  pistols  of  a  very  old  pattern,  but  very  few  improved 


72  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

breech -load  iiiii  lillcs.  Aiiiiiiuiiiti(tii,  toiii'tlicr  witli  otlior  ii'-^oful  articles, 
Itotli  of  food  and  laiiiu'iit,  is  obtained  at  Killisnoo,  which  source  in  the 
event  of  war  with  this  (lovernaieiit  would  be  denied  them,  and  as  there 
is  no  other  point  near  at  hand  it  would  be  very  dillicult  for  them  to  tind 
another  source.  Traders  furnish  them  with  material  for  their  clothes, 
which  are,  in  ])attern  and  kind,  such  as  are  worn  by  white  men  and 
only  i)urchased  when  needed,  so  that,  like  their  ammunition,  would  be 
cut  otf  in  the  event  of  hostilities.  Wealth  among  them  is  not  reckoned 
in  dollars  and  cents,  but  according  to  the  number  of  blankets  an  in- 
<lividual  possesses,  and  as  these  are  often  bought  and  stored  away, 
would  in  consecjuence  prove  of  great  service  could  they  manage  to  pre- 
serve them  from  harm  during  a  diiticulty  of  any  kind. 

Communication  by  laud  is  rarely  resorted  to,  on  account  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  country  and  the  paucity  of  trails,  so  that  wheu  they  have 
occasion  to  make  any  journeys  at  all  their  main  reliance  is  in  their 
canoes.  As  with  all  the  other  Thlinket  tribes  the  custom  of  holding 
slaves  was  formerly  very  much  in  vogue,  but  is  now  kept  up  to  a  very 
limited  extent  on  account  of  the  iutiuence  brought  to  bear  against  it  by 
the  whites  and  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  them.  Formerly  the  struggles 
between  the  neighboring  tribes  being  of  such  frequent  occurrence,  the 
unfortunate  captives  furnished  sutticient  numbers,  but  as  these  difficul- 
ties rarely  ever  occur  at  the  present  time,  wherever  the  custom  is  main- 
tained, slaves  are  secured  by  trade.  This  method  was  employed  to  a  large 
extent,  too,  as  testified  by  the  Indians  found  among  them  from  tribes 
far  removed.  In  former  times  these  slaves  had  very  few  rights;  they 
could  not  acquire  property  or  even  marry  without  the  consent  of  their 
masters,  and  were  distinguished  from  free  men  by  the  absence  of  cer- 
tain ornaments  generally  worn  by  the  tribe.  At  certain  festivals  it  was 
the  custom  to  make  human  sacrifices,  the  victims  for  which  were  gen- 
erally selected  from  among  the  old  and  feeble  slaves,  as  the  younger 
ones  were  considered  too  valuable,  and  although  favorites  were  often 
brought  forward,  yet  in  almost  every  instance  were  altbrded  an  opportu- 
nity to  escape,  and  after  the  festival  was  over  could  return  without  fear  of 
being  punished.  At  the  present  time  such  sacrifices  are  rarely,  if  ever, 
made,  and  slaves  enjoy  almost  the  same  privileges  as  others  of  the  tribe. 

Kensetl  is  the  head  chief  of  the  tribe  and  exerts  a  powerful  influence, 
not  only  over  the  subchiefs  but  the  entire  people.  His  feeling  towards 
the  whites  in  general  is  very  friendly,  and  especially  so  toward  the  very 
few  who  live  in  the  country.  These  Indians  have  never  been  at  war 
with  the  Kussian  Government  or  with  our  own,  but  some  time  in  18G0 
they  are  said  to  have  captured  a  steamer  belonging  to  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company. 

In  time  of  war  the  two  villages  mentioned  before  would  unite  together 
against  an  opposing  force,  and  although  there  are  no  Indians  in  the 
neighborhood  who  would  be  liable  to  unite  with  them, yet,  on  the  other 
hand,  would  not  join  the  whites,  as  allies  against  them,  unless  suffi- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  75 

cient  prospect  of  reward  be  ottered.  A  cainpaif;ii  conld  be  carried  on 
in  this  section  all  the  year  round,  altbongli  many  difficulties  and  hard- 
ships would  be  experienced  on  account  of  the  cold  winters.  Consider- 
ing the  fact  of  their  supply  of  food  being  obtained  chiefly  from  the  sea, 
and  their  homes  being-  almost  at  the  water's  edge  since  the  earliest 
times,  they  would  experience  great  difficulty  in  sustaining  themselves  if 
compelled  to  abandon  their  iiouses,  consequently  would  not  retreat  in- 
land, only  as  a  very  last  resort.  Their  canoes,  in  an  event  of  this  kind, 
would  be  of  great  service  to  them,  so  that  a  number  of  small  boats 
would  be  absolutely  indispensable  as  an  unusual  campaign  supply. 

AUK    INDIANS. 

A  short  time  ago  very  good  prospects  of  gold  were  discovered  on 
Douglas  Island,  situated  directly  opposite  the  winter  village  of  this 
tribe,  which  created  the  usual  excitement  in  such  cases,  and  served  to 
bring  into  the  neighborhood  the  same  class  of  men  who  ordinarily  re- 
spond to  rumors  an:l  reports  of  like  nature.  Some  of  these  men  are,  of 
course,  hard-working,  sober,  and  industrious,  but  the  majority,  as  a  rule, 
are  idle,  visionary,  and  devoid  of  principle,  and  being  disinclined  to 
work  are  thrown  more  intimately  with  the  residents.  Such  was  the 
case,  in  this  instance,  with  these  Indians.  Living  very  near  at  hand 
and  being  attracted  still  nearer  by  the  presence  of  the  whites,  they  had 
nothing  to  do  except  to  provide  for  the  absolute  necessities  of  life,  and 
besides  were  not  disinclined  or  in  any  way  slow  in  imitating  the  habits 
of  the  whites;  so  that  among  other  things  the  desire  for  alcohol,  though 
perhaps  not  initiated,  was  quickly  nourished,  and  many  disturbances 
between  individuals  occurred  in  consequence.  Gold  was  not  obtained 
in  the  large  quantities  at  first  anticipated,  so  that  many  of  the  men  re- 
turned. But  the  effect  of  their  presence  is  very  apparent  on  the  tribe ; 
some  remained,  however,  and  still  occupy  themselves  in  mining.  The 
rush  of  people  to  this  quarter  of  course  called  attention  to  the  Indians 
living  near  at  hand,  so  that  an  effort  was  made,  in  the  right  direction, 
to  improve  their  condition  by  opening  a  school,  which,  however,  has  not 
yet  been  permanently  established.  Douglas  Island  is  in  the  northeast- 
ern extremity  of  the  Alexander  Archipelago,  separated  from  the  main- 
land by  a  narrow  salt-water  channel,  and  distant  from  Dixon  Entrance 
a  run  of  about  thirty  hours. 

A  small  town  was  established  at  the  time  of  the  gold  excitement 
which  now  affords  these  Indians  a  convenient  place  to  obtain  the  useful 
articles  which  traders  generally  offer  for  sale. 

The  country  surrounding  is  mountainous  near  the  water,  well  covered 
with  timber,  and  about  as  productive  as  that  situated  to  the  south  and 
already  spoken  of.  It  is  capable  of  cultivation,  in  a  measure,  with  con- 
siderable care  and  labor,  so  that  the  hardier  vegetables  only  do  well. 

Game  of  various  kinds,  such  as  deer,  bears,  both  black  and  grizzly, 


74  MILITARY    RSCONNAISSJLNCE    IX    ALASKA. 

iiioiinlain  slici'])  and  iiioniitaiii  ^oats,  is  found  in  moderate  quantity 
tlironiiliout  tliis  section,  and  is  lumted  by  the  Indians  for  meat  and  skins. 
The  tribe,  ho\ve\er,  is  more  inelined  to  yain  a  living  by  lishiny,  and 
indeed  do  depend  on  the  water  for  most  of  their  food,  as  many  varieties 
of  tish  are  eaught  in  the  adjoining  waters.  Salmon,  halibut,  and  cod 
abound  in  large  quantities,  and  are  the  ]>rineii)al  articles  of  diet. 

On  account  of  the  few  trails  running  through  the  country,  long 
Journeys  into  the  interior  are  rarely*  ever  undertaken,  and  when  occa- 
sion arises  to  communicate  with  any  neighboring  i>laces,  canoes  furnish 
them  their  only  means  of  transportation.  These  are  built  well  and 
strong,  and  of  various  sizes,  the  largest  being  capable  of  carrying  two 
or  three  tous.  A  canoe,  in  fact,  almost  takes  the  place  of  some  one  of 
the  domestic  animals  which  are  so  useful  to  other  tribes  of  Indians,  and 
to  civilized  races.  Xo  horses,  cows,  or  other  animals,  except  the  dog, 
are  found  among  tliem,  and  this  last-named  animal  is  employed  in  no 
useful  way,  except  ])erliaps  in  hunting.  As  an  article  of  food,  were 
they  deprived  of  their  usual  supply,  it  would  uot  serve  them  for  any 
length  of  time,  so  can  hardly  be  regarded  as  in  any  way  indispensable. 

The  tribe,  whose  name  is  variously  spelled  Auk  and  Awk,  is  divided 
into  numerous  separate  families,  each  with  its  subchief,  and  numbers 
in  all  about  700  souls.  Of  these,  from  200  to  250  are  cai)able  of  bearing 
arms,  and  most  of  them  are  provided  with  some  sort  of  gun,  bows  and 
arrows  having  long  since  fallen  into  disuse.  The  old  style  of  musket 
formerly  sold  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  is  almost  the  only  pattern 
of  gun  found  among  them,  besides  a  few  cap  revolvers,  and  perhaps 
three  or  four  improved  rities.  The  main  winter  village,  as  stated 
before,  was  formerly  on  the  mainland  7  miles  distant  from  Juneau,  but 
as  many  of  the  Indians  have  found  employment  among  the  whites,  a 
considerable  number  now  live  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  town.  Their 
houses,  as  a  rule,  arawell  and  substantially  built,  many  being  provided 
with  windows,  and  except  for  the  extremely  uncleanly  condition  which 
usually  abounds  would  be  far  from  uncomfortable. 

Ammunition  and  the  plainer  arti(;les  of  food,  such  as  ilour,  meal  of 
various  kinds,  tea,  cotiee,  sugar,  etc.,  are  obtained  from  traders  near  at 
hand,  which  sources  would  necessarily  be  denied  them  in  the  event  of 
trouble,  unless  they  took  forcible  possession  of  the  stores  at  the  very 
commencement  of  any  difficulty. 

The  head  chief  and  two  or  three  medicine  men  of  the  tribe  exert  con- 
siderable intluence  over  the  people,  and  are  listened  to  with  attention 
and  respect  when  a  difficulty  of  any  sort  occurs.  They  have  not,  how- 
ever, the  interests  of  the  tribe  so  nuich  at  heart  as  to  be  utterly  re- 
gardless of  the  value  of  presents,  especially  if  ai)plied  judiciously  for 
their  individual  use.  Their  feeling,  as  well  as  that  of  the  entire  tribe, 
is  at  present  very  friendly  towards  the  whites  living  in  the  country,  and 
instead  of  manifesting  any  jealousy  at  the  approach  of  strangers  seem 
very  much  pleased  to  have  them  come  in.     No  time  is  mentioned  of 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  75 

their  ever  being  at  war  with  the  lliissians,  and  uo  serious  difficulty  has 
occurred  with  the  Uuited  States,  the  ouly  disturbances  arisiug  beiug 
between  individuals  as  a  rule,  and  generally  growing  out  of  a  too  free 
indulgence  in  some  preparation  of  alcohol.  In  the  event  of  actual  war- 
fare there  are  no  Indian  tribes  in  the  neighborhood  who  would  unite 
with  this  people,  unless  they  themselves  happened  to  be  ottended,  nor 
are  there  any  who  would  join  the  whites  as  allies  unless  sufficient  com- 
pensation be  offered  for  their  services,  and  then  they  wouhl  be  of  doubt- 
ful value,  as  all  of  the  adjoining  tribes  in  this  section  of  country  live  on 
very  friendly  terms.  There  are  enough  white  men  in  the  country  to 
make  a  very  firm  and  determined  resistance  against  a  general  outbreak, 
and  there  are  said  to  be  one  hundred  Springfield  rifles  at  Juneau,  de- 
posited by  the  Uuited  State  Treasury  Department,  which  would  neces- 
sarily be  of  great  service.  A  campaign  could  be  carried  on  in  the 
country  all  the  year  round,  but  many  hardships  would  be  experienced 
on  account  of  the  cold.  Such  a  campaign  should  be  provided  with 
boats,  as  the  Indians  would  keep  to  the  water  as  long  as  possible,  and 
would  only  retreat  inland  as  a  very  last  resort ;  for,  unless  able  to  carry 
with  them  supplies  of  dried  fish,  &c.,  they  would  experience  the  great- 
est difficulty  in  existing,  especially  so  if  in  the  winter  time. 

CHILKAT  IXDIAXS. 

The  name  of  this  tribe  is  variously  spelled,  but  as  regards  the  true 
way,  it  would  be  very  hard  to  give  a  decided  opinion,  or  claim  one  as 
more  correct  than  any  other ;  for,  in  that  case,  the  same  idea  of  the  true 
pronunciation  might  not  be  conveyed  to  different  individuals.  A  fair 
idea  of  the  sound  is  given  in  the  orthography  used  at  the  beginning  of 
this  desciiption, but  various  other  methods  besides  are  in  use,  such  as 
Chilcot,  Chilcat,  Chilkaht,  and  Chilcate.  These  Indians,  until  a  com- 
l>aratively  recent  date,  have  kept  themselves  away  from  any  civilizing 
influences,  and  on  account  of  the  ill-feeling  which  they  have  always  ex- 
pressed toward  white  men  entering  the  country,  have  always  been  re- 
garded as  extremely  independent  and  warlike,  on  account  of  their 
leading  a  more  active  life,  and  venturing  inland  on  long  journeys.  They 
are  undoubtedly  more  warlike  in  their  character  than  others  of  the  same 
family,  who  have  always  lived  entirely  along  the  water's  edge ;  and 
this  accounts  in  part  for  their  unfriendly  feeling ;  but  the  fear  of  having 
their  trade  with  the  interior  Indians  interfered  with  was  the  prominent 
reason  for  their  behavior.  As  traders  they  are  equal  in  every  respect 
to  civilized  men,  and  as  honesty  is  by  no  means  a  prominent  or  charac- 
teristic trait  among  them,  to  deal  with  them  successfully  requires  the 
closest  attention.  Trade  with  them  has  always  been  eagerly  sought 
after  by  white  men,  as  they  are  by  far  the  wealthiest  of  all  these  In- 
dians previously  described,  and  through  their  great  energy  have  the 
best  furs  to  dispose  of.     Formerly  all  trade  between  the  whites  on  the 


76  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

coast  and  tlic  Indians  living'  in  tlie  interior  had  to  be  conducted  tlirough 
this  tribe,  as  they  wonhl  not  allow  white  men  to  venture  inland  ov^er 
their  trails,  which  were  the  only  ones,  nor  woidd  they  allow  the  interior 
natives  to  even  come  to  the  sea-coast.  In  this  way  they  had  a  com- 
plete and  absolute  monopoly  of  the  trade,  and  could  dictate  almost  any 
terms  they  chose  to  both  parties.  Only  a  few  years  ago  a  party  of 
pi'osi)ectors  started  out  from  Sitka,  and  desiring  to  go  into  the  interior 
toward  the  headwaters  of  some  of  the  numerous  rivers,  were  forbidden 
to  proceed,  and  had  they  persisted  would  nndoubtedly  have  been  sub- 
ject to  insults,  if  not  to  positive  injury.  Recently,  however,  many 
whites  have  settled  directly  in  the  country,  and  although  very  few  if 
any  have  made  any  journeys  inland  for  trading  purposes,  still  many 
miners  have  gone  over  the  trails,  being  even  aided  by  the  tribe  ;  and  the 
so  called  "  Stick"  Indians  of  the  interior  are  seen  in  the  villages  near 
the  trading  stores. 

This  change  of  feeling  was  due  probably  to  the  establishment  of  dif- 
ferent industries  in  the  country  by  the  whites,  thus  giving  the  Indians 
a  less  laborious  but  at  the  same  time  as  lucrative  an  employment,  and 
the  gradual  breaking  up  of  the  monopoly  of  trade.  This  trade  with  the 
interior  is  not  yet  abandoned,  however,  as  these  Indians  still  continue  to 
make  their  Journeys  of  fifteen  to  twenty  days'  duration,  going  up  to  the 
very  head  of  navigation  in  their  canoes,  then  strapping  the  trading  ma- 
terial on  their  backs,  and  walking  until  water  is  reached  on  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  divide.  Here  again  they  use  rafts  and  canoes  to  carry 
them  to  the  different  villages,  and  come  back  loaded  with  furs.  As  a 
rule  they  are  somewhat  below  the  average  height,  and  generally  of  a 
frail  build;  yet  with  all  this  they  carry  a  load  of  100  pounds  without 
difficulty,  and  travel  over  15  miles  during  the  day.  In  disposition  they 
are  cheerful,  being  generally  fond  of  Jokes,  especially  so  when  directed 
against  a  single  member.  They  are  very  avaricious  and  selfish,  even 
among  themselves,  no  favor  being  done  for  each  other  without  sufficient 
remuneration  be  made.  The  territory  which  they  occupy  is  situated 
in  the  extreme  northeastern  extremity  of  the  Alexander  Archipelago. 
It  is  on  the  mainland  and  at  the  head  of  a  long  salt  water  inlet  called 
Lynn  Channel.  This  point  is  distant  from  Dixon  Entrance,  for  a  mod- 
erately fast  steamer,  a  run  of  about  thirty-five  or  forty  hours.  Xear 
the  head  of  Lynn  Channel  several  small  streams  find  an  outlet  in  the 
sea,  and  along  these  streams  were  formerly  built  the  permanent  villages 
of  the  tribe. 

Since  the  arrival  of  whites  among  them  many  of  the  Indians,  as  is 
usually  the  case,  have  moved  their  houses  near  the  trading  stores,  &c., 
so  as  to  be  more  conveniently  situated,  being  employed  in  many  differ- 
ent capacities  by  the  white  men. 

During  the  past  year  two  salmon  canningestablishments  were  started  at 
Pyramid  Harbor,  situated  near  the  head  of  the  channel,  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  the  Indians,  though  not  yet  employed  in  the  more  skilled  branches 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  77 

of  this  indastry,  have  found  work  of  various  kiuds.  They  caubardly  be 
considered  as  faithful  workers,  for  they  resort  to  every  possible  phiu  to 
lessen  the  quantity  of  work,  and  at  tiie  same  time  command  the  same 
reward  ;  and  have  been  known  to  steal  wood  after  selling  it,  and  then 
disi)ose  of  the  same  again  as  a  new  lot. 

The  surrounding"  country  is  very  mountainous  near  the  sea  and  hilly 
inland ;  everywhere  thickly  covered  with  timber,  and  as  a  rule  very 
moist,  so  that  in  order  to  cultivate  any  gardens  at  all  great  labor  has  to 
be  expended  in  clearing  and  draining;  with  all  the  labor  only  the  few 
common  and  hardy  varieties  of  vegetables  can  be  raised,  owing  to  the 
short  season  of  warm  and  dry  weather.  Considerable  game  is  found 
throughout  this  region,  such  as  deer,  bears,  and  mountain  sheep,  and 
are  hunted  by  the  Indians  not  only  for  their  meat  but  for  their  skins  as 
well.  From  the  wool  of  the  mountain  sheep  very  handsome  blankets  are 
made  b^'  the  women  of  the  tribe,  which,  besides  being  warm  and  com- 
fortable, are  dj^ed  in  bright  colors  and  prove  very  attractive  to  the  eye. 
This  art  is  uot  peculiar  to  this  tribe  alone,  but  they  are  said  to  be  much 
more  expert,  not  only  in  the  manufacture  of  these,  but  in  carving  and 
working  in  silver,  than  many  of  the  other  branches  of  this  family.  Va- 
rious kinds  of  fish  are  found  in  considerable  quantities  in  the  adjoining 
waters,  salmon  being  caught  in  such  quantities  as  to  have  attracted  the 
attention  of  white  men  as  stated  before,  though  the  venture  has  not,  as 
yet,  proved  entirely  successfull.  Trading  stores  are  in  operation  at 
these  places,  however,  so  that  the  tribe  has  every  opportunity  of  pro- 
viding itself  with  the  various  useful  and  necessary  articles,  both  of  food 
and  clothes. 

The  supply  of  ammunition  and  the  many  other  articles  obtained  in 
trade  are  secured  from  the  stores  at  Pyramid  Harbor,  which  sources 
would  be  denied  them  in  the  event  of  an  outbreak  against  this  Govern- 
ment. Civilized  clothes  have  been  universally  adopted  by  these  people, 
who  as  a  rule  buy  the  material  and  then  cut  out  the  different  garments 
themselves.  Should  they  be  denied  the  oj^portuuity  of  securing  their 
usual  supply  of  cloth,  very  little  inconvenience  would  be  experienced 
after  a  little  time,  as  they  have  an  abundance  of  furs  and  are  masters 
in  the  art  of  tanning;  and  besides,  many  of  the  different  members  of 
the  tribe  reckon  their  wealth  by  the  great  number  of  blankets  which 
they  have  stored  away  and  could  make  use  of  in  an  emergency. 

As  regards  communication  between  neighboring  places,  these  Indians, 
though  thoroughly  versed  in  the  art  of  building  and  managing  their 
canoes,  do  not  depend  so  much  upon  them  for  transportation  as  the  other 
tribes  previously  mentioned,  on  account  of  their  journeys  taking  them 
inland,  where  other  means  have  necessarily  to  be  employed.  The  dog- 
is  their  only  domestic  animal,  and  besides  being  useful  in  hunting  is 
occasionally  made  use  of  as  a  pack  animal,  though  by  no  means  to  such 
an  extent  as  among  the  more  northern  tribes.  The  trails  which  they 
make  use  of  in  these  journeys  already  spoken  of,  are  uot  very  well 


78  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

iiKirki'd  or  l)y  any  means  free  from  obstacles,  so  that  in  the  transfer  of 
a  coiisidfrabk'  number  of  men  with  their  belon<jinfjs  a  fjaide  vronhl  bo 
needed,  and  considerable  woik  be  recpiired  in  improvirif;  the  way.  As 
many  or  all  of  them  cross  quite  a  hi<j;]i  ranjj^e  of  mountains,  a  ])ortion  ot 
the  distance  is  covered  with  more  or  less  snow  all  the  year  around,  which 
chanp:es  in  amount  according'  to  the  season  of  the  year;  consecjuentiy 
only  after  makinj;-  several  trips  at  the  ditferent  jteriods  is  one  capable 
of  stating  exactly  where  the  best  road  is  to  be  found.  These  Indians 
are  divided  into  two  separate  branches,  as  it  were,  with  a  distinct  chief 
over  each,  but  in  manners,  customs,  habits,  &c.,  are  exactly  alike,  and 
in  time  of  war  would  both  unite  against  an  opposing  force.  The  Chilkats 
jiroper  have  three  permanent  villages,  which  are  situated  in  the  imme- 
diate neighborhood  of  Pyramid  lIarl)or  and  at  no  great  distance  from 
each  other.  The  Chilkoots,  the  other  division  of  the  tribe,  have  one 
village  situated  permanentlj^  in  the  Chilkoot  Inlet,  which  is  a  continu- 
ation of  Lynn  Channel,  and  aftbrds  ample  water  for  the  accommodation 
of  very  large  steamers  even.  Several  of  these  villages  are  built  near 
a  Hat  shore,  and  although  the  ebb  and  tiow  of  the  tide  is  not  excessive, 
yet  at  low  water  an  approach  is  impossible  except  for  canoes  of  the  very 
lightest  draught.  This  is  a  wise  i)rovision  whether  brought  about  with  a 
motive  or  not,  for  the  shallow  water  would  prove  verj'  embarrassing  to 
the  successful  management  of  boats  either  in  approaching  or  even 
retreating  should  occasion  demand. 

The  entire  tribe  numbers  about  l.dOO  souls,  or  exactly  981  according 
to  a  census  of  Lieutenant  Symons,  United  States  Navy.  Among  these 
there  are  between  300  and  400  able-bodied  men,  capable  of  bearing 
arms  and  prosecuting  an  active  attack  or  defense  in  case  of  hostilities- 
The  old  Hudson  Bay  Company  musket  is  the  pattern  of  gun  most  uni- 
versally found  among  them,  yet  quite  a  number  are  provided  with 
double-barreled  shot-guns,  loading  at  the  muzzle  and  of  a  very  small 
caliber,  so  that  a  bullet  can  be  used  with  almost  the  same  freedom  as  shot. 

With  these  very  poor  weapons  these  men  are  very  successful  in  se- 
curing game,  which  can  be  accounted  for  by  their  great  energy  and  an 
apparent  ignorance,  certainly  a  disregard,  of  an}'  feeling  of  fatigue, 
even  after  climbing  the  highest  and  steepest  hills,  mountains,  and 
canons  in  the  shortest  space  of  time  imaginable.  The  two  divisions  of 
this  tribe,  though  at  present  friendly,  have  not  always  been  on  such 
intimate  terms;  in  fact  some  years  ago  each  had  separate  trails  into  the 
interior,  the  use  of  which  was  refused  members  of  the  opposite  branch. 
Each  division  as  previously  stated  has  its  own  head  chief,  who  individ- 
ually exerts  a  great  influence  over  the  subchiefs  and  the  many  mem- 
bers of  the  tribe.  Shotrich,  signifying  "  hard  to  kill,"  is  the  name  of 
the  Chilkat  chief,  a  very  dignified  and  venerable  old  man,  who  ordi- 
narily dresses  well,  but  on  important  occasions  puts  on  a  very  excellent 
suit  of  blue  clothes  with  brass  buttons.  These,  together  with  quite  a 
large  scar  on  his  cheek,  give  him  an  air  of  great  importance  and  quite 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  79 

;i  military  bearing-.  The  head  chief  of  the  Cliilkoots  is  Don-iiah-wauk, 
siguifying  "silver  eye;"  he  also  is  considerably  advanced  in  years  bnt 
is  greatly  respected  by  his  entire  people.  The  feeling  of  these  two  men, 
as  well  as  that  of  the  entire  tribe,  towards  the  whites  in  the  conntry 
is  in  every  respect  friendly,  and  at  present  do  not  seem  at  all  (>i)i)<)sed 
to  their  coming  in.  On  account  of  their  superior  numbers,  however,  and 
the  very  few  whites  dwelling  in  the  region,  their  behavior  is  not  al- 
ways what  would  be  desired.  Especially  is  this  the  case  when  they  are 
under  the  influence  of  liquor,  when  they  become  at  times  very  insolent- 
These  Indians  have  never  had  any  serious  difficulties  with  the  United 
States,  the  only  disputes  which  have  occurred  being  in  regard  to 
matters  of  trade,  and  as  their  power  and  intention  of  doing  injury  Avas 
respected  by  the  whites,  no  great  effort  was  made  to  enter  their  ter- 
ritory when  thej^  refused  admittance.  Since  the  refusal  to  allow  the 
prospectors  to  enter  the  interior  country,  they  have  not  only  allowed 
several  other  parties  to  go  through,  but  have  hired  themselves  out  as 
packers  of  the  numerous  and  heavy  stores  generally  carried  bj'  parties 
seeking  the  interior. 

As  early  as  the  year  1S51  a  difficulty  occurred  with  the  English,  who 
had  established  a  trading  post  a  great  many  miles  distant  from  their 
homes,  in  the  interior  of  the  countr^^  This  trouble  is  said  to  have  beeu 
instigated  by  the  Eussians,  which  is  not  very  probable,  however,  as 
the  Indians  had  a  motive  in  acting  as  they  did,  on  account  of  jealous^" 
in  matters  of  trade.  They  had  been,  and  were  carrying  on  a  trade 
with  the  Indians  living  along  the  Yukon  River,  even  below  the  mouth  of 
the  Pellj^,  when  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  established  a  trading  station 
at  Fort  Selkirk.  This  of  course  presented  a  serious  opposition  to  their 
trade,  and  instead  of  resorting  to  the  civilized  method  of  reducing  rates 
the  Indians  considered  a  confiscation  of  the  goods  and  demolition  of  the 
buildings  the  best  and  quickest  way  of  again  asserting  their  monopoly. 
At  this  time  a  Mr.  Campbell  was  the  agent  for  the  company,  who,  with 
a  few  men  under  his  employ,  were  tied  while  the  store  was  being  plun- 
dered, and  allowed  to  depart  unharmed  after  the  Indians  were  satis- 
fied. The  buildings  were  then  set  on  fire  and  completely  destroyed, 
and  have  never  been  rebuilt  by  the  English.  As  will  be  seen,  most  all 
their  troubles  have  occurred  in  consequence  of  an  interference  with 
their  trade,  but  now,  having  seen  the  advantages  of  intercourse  with 
the  whites,  they  uot  only  conduct  themselves  more  resi)ectfully  but 
do  not  deserve  the  reputation  of  being  so  warlike  or  bloodthirsty  in 
disposition.  They  have  the  utmost  respect  for  a  naval  vessel,  many  of 
the  men  having  served  short  eidistments,  and  are  willing  to  listen  to 
any  terms  dictated  by  the  commander  thereof.  In  the  event  of  a  uni- 
vtrsal  outbreak  against  the  Government  these  Indians  have  the  will 
and  power  to  not  only  make  a  very  determined  resistance,  but  commit 
considerable  damage  before  any  successful  operations  could  be  carried 
on  against  them. 


80  MII.ITAKV    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

In  canyinji  on  a  (.'ainpaign  against  tlieni,  their  villages  would  ueces- 
saril.v  l)e  tirst  considered.  These  they  would  have  to  abandon  if  artil- 
lery were  used  against  them,  and,  unlike  most  of  the  Jndians  i)reviously 
spoken  of,  they  would  very  probably  retreat  inland,  where  it  would  be 
very  ditlicult  to  follow  on  account  of  a  lack  of  transportation.  The  trail 
ordinarily  followed  being  too  dilHicult  in  places  to  permit  the  emidoy- 
nient  of  pack  animals,  i)rovision  should  be  made  at  tirst  to  prevent  a 
retreat  in  that  direction. 

There  are  no  Iiulians  in  the  neighborhood  who  would  unite  with  them 
ijs  allies,  nor,  indeed,  with  the  whites,  unless  well  rewarded. 

TAHK-IIEESH   INDIANS. 

Very  little  has  been  known  of  these  Indians  until  a  very  recent  date, 
on  account  of  whites  being  prevented  from  entering  their  country  and 
they  themselves  being  kept  away  from  the  sea-coast  by  the  Chilkats, 
with  whom,  as  jjreviously  stated,  they  carry  on  a  considerable  trade. 
It  was  supposed  that  they  must  be  in  considerable  numbers,  not  only 
because  represented  as  such  by  the  Chilkats,  but  on  account  of  the 
4iuantities  of  furs  which  were  brought  out  in  the  trading  trips  under- 
taken at  different  times  during  the  year.  As  no  definite  idea  could  be 
formed  of  the  length  of  the  journeys  except  from  the  number  of  days 
consumed,  it  was,  of  course,  not  known  whether  one  village  or  several 
were  visited,  or  whether  several  distinct  tribes  did  not  furnish  the  furs. 
On  account  of  this  great  lack  of  reliable  information  the  name  given  to 
this  tribe  by  the  Chilkats,  namely  ''  Stick,"  is  the  one  by  which  they  are 
most  generally  designated ;  in  fact,  this  apellation  is  used  when  speak- 
ing of  any  of  the  interior  Indians.  Another  name,  though  less  fre- 
quently employed,  is  Si  him-E-na.  Among  themselves  they  are  known 
by  the  name  employed  at  the  heading  of  this  description,  which  circum- 
stance is  the  authority  for  its  use  iu  this  connection. 

The  tribe,  as  such,  can  hardly  be  said  to  exist,  for  instead  of  being 
united  into  one  or  more  villages,  it  is  divided  into  a  number  of  families, 
each  of  which,  is  far  removed  from  another,  very  much  as  settlers  in  a 
frontier  country.  As  far  as  is  known  they  never  unite  for  the  perform- 
ance of  any  ceremonies  or  dances,  and  have  apparently  no  bond  of 
union  whatever,  each  member  of  the  tribe  being  as  important  as  any 
other.  To  show  to  what  extent  the  ditterent  members  of  the  tribe  are 
removed  from  each  other,  it  may  be  stated  that  they  were  first  met  at 
the  Chilkoot  village,  previously  jnentioued,  and  last  seen  only  a  short  dis- 
tance above  Fort  Selkirk.  At  this  last-named  place  is  a  small  village, 
unoccupied  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  which  is  considered  as  belong- 
ing to  this  same  tribe.  Between  these  two  places,  so  far  removed,  only  a 
few  habitations  were  met  with,  none  of  which  were  large  enough  to  ac- 
commodate more  than  two  families  at  the  most.  On  the  stream  which 
unites  Lake  Taliko  and  Lake  Marsh  is  a  substantial  looking  house  built 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  81 

of  logs  and  hewn  timber,  with  a  roof  made  of  bark,  presenting  quite 
a  civilized  appearance  in  every  respect,  and  evidently'  the  work  of  an 
Indian  who  has  had  more  or  less  intercourse  directly  or  indirectly  with 
white  men.  The  country  over  which  these  Indians  wander  is  very 
mountainous  throughout  its  entire  extent,  and  presents  generally  a  very 
barren  appearance.  About  the  only  timber  found  is  a  variety  of  pine, 
which  can  hardly  be  said  to  flourish,  especially  along  the  chain  of  lakes, 
for  it  grows  up  a  certain  height,  and  then  dies,  apparently  from  lack  of 
nourishment,  on  account  of  the  very  rocky  nature  of  the  soil.  Immense 
forests  of  these  small  dead  pines  can  be  seen  stretching  everj^where 
in  the  distance.  At  certain  points  they  attain  a  larger  size,  but  are 
rarely  ever  seen  alive  of  any  great  diameter.  Very  little  underbrush 
exists  except  close  to  the  water,  and  there  is  agreat  scarcity  of  all  sorts 
of  berries.  Game  seems  almost  unknown  throughout  this  region,  ex- 
cept bears,  principally  of  the  black  variety,  mountain  sheep,  and  small 
birds,  such  as  ducks,  grouse,  &c.,  which  indeed  do  not  abound  in  any 
quantities.  As  the  lakes  are  passed  the  country  presents  a  less  bar- 
ren appearance ;  the  trees  grow  larger,  and  other  varieties  besides  the 
pine  are  found.  Besides  bears  and  the  small  game  mentioned  before, 
moose  are  also  found  in  considerable  numbers.  Very  little,  if  any,  fish 
are  caught  up  near  the  beginning  of  the  chain  of  lakes,  but  down  farther, 
more  especially  in  the  streams  connecting  the  different  larger  bodies  of 
water,  salmon  abound  and  are  caught  in  considerable  quantities  by  the 
natives,  who  apparently  subsist  almost  entirely  on  them,  the  winter 
supply  being  dried  in  the  sun  without  salt,  and  stored  up  for  use  when 
needed.  Besides  salmon  quantities  of  grayling  abound,  which  are  dis- 
regarded by  the  Indians,  who  take  no  i)ains  to  secure  them,  being  un- 
familiar with  hooks,  and  they  are  too  small  to  be  captured  with  the 
spears  which  are  emploj'ed  by  them  in  catching  the  salmon.  These 
spears  consist  of  three  points,  the  middle  one  of  which  is  made  of  iron, 
straight  and  sharpened  at  the  point,  while  the  two  on  each  side  are  of 
bone,  and  barbed  with  an  old  nail  or  other  small  scrap  of  iron.  These 
are  all  separate  from  each  other,  and  when  in  use  are  fastened  to  the 
end  of  a  long  pole  cut  especially  for  the  x>nrpose.  Small  seines  are  also 
used  in  addition  to  the  spears.  The  appearance  of  the  Indians  corre- 
spond very" closely  with  the  character  of  the  country,  for  they  are  the 
most  abject  looking  beings  imaginable.  They  are  clothed  in  a  combina- 
tion of  civilized  and  native  clothes ;  the  shirt  generally  has  the  appear- 
ance of  having  been  made  in  accordance  with  the  plan  used  by  the 
whites,  while  the  pants  are  of  buckskin,  the  covering  for  the  foot  be- 
ing continuous  with  the  rest  of  the  garment. 

In  stature  they  are  not  much  below  the  average,  but  invariably  pre- 
sent a  most  cadaverous  appearance,  as  if  only  half  nourished.     ]!fotwith- 
standing  this  apparently  Aveak  condition,  they  are  capable  of  carrying 
large  packs,  equal  in  amount  to  those  borue  by  the  Chilkats. 
S.  Ex.  2 6 


82  MILITARY    RHCONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

Whatever  they  obtain  in  trade,  such  as  cloth  and  articles  of  food, 
comes  to  them  throiijih  the  Chilkats,  and  they  themselves  also  make 
Jonnieys  to  the  trading  stores  at  Pryaniid  Harbor.  When  an  Indian 
trader  comes  into  the  conntry  he  fjives  notice  of  his  i)resence  by  build- 
inj;  a  larjje  tire,  the  smoke  of  which  can  be  seen  at  a  cotisiderable  dis- 
tance, and  if  there  are  any  Indians  in  the  neijihborhood  they  resjxmd 
to  the  siy:nal  in  the  same  manner.  The  old  tlint  lock  musket,  formeily 
sold  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  with  a  few  pistols  of  equal  crude- 
ncssof  make,  are  their  onlj'  fire-arms;  and  as  their  ammunition  is  ob- 
tained in  the  same  manner  as  their  other  necessary  supplies  an  out- 
break of  their  entire  number  would  not  be  very  formidable,  unless  there 
are  numerous  fjimiliesof  this  tribe,  living  elsewhere  than  along  the  head- 
waters of  the  Yukon  Kiver,  which  is  not  very  probable.  Their  entire 
number  does  not  certainly  exceed  titty  altogether.  Communication  is 
confined  almost  entirely  to  water  and  is  effected  by  means  of  rafts  and 
canoes.  The  last  named,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  timber,  are  ver^' 
poorly  constructed.  The  log  being  originally  too  small  to  nuike  a  canoe 
of  sufficient  size,  a  piece  has  to  be  bound  along  the  rim  to  give  greater 
depth. 

In  a  military  sense,  this  tribe  could  be  almost  disregarded,  being  so 
few  in  numbers  and  having  so  little  union  as  to  be  unable  to  cause  any 
serious  difficulty. 

A-YAX   OR   AI-YAN   INDIANS. 

Before  leaving  Fort  Selkirk  s.sveral  of  this  tribe  came  to  meet  us  with 
the  information  that  their  village  was  ouly  a  few  miles  below,  and  that 
we  would  be  perfectly  welcome.  It  is  situated  just  12  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Pelly  River  and  is  apparently  very  temporary  indeed,  for 
the  least  possible  work  seemed  to  have  been  expended  on  the  houses, 
which  were  made  of  brush  and  covered  above  with  moose  skins. 

The  tribe  lived  here,  or  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  during  the 
warm  season,  when  the  salmon  are  running  in  the  river,  and  scatter  out 
during  the  winter,  subsisting  on  game,  which  abounds  in  great  quantities. 
As  well  as  could  be  determined,  no  provision  is  made  for  winter  by 
drying  and  storing  away  fish,  as  is  the  custom  with  many  other  tribes. 
But  the  fish,  though  secured  in  abundance  in  the  early  summer,  are  gen- 
erally entirely  consumed  before  the  village  is  vacated.  The  tribe  num- 
bers about  two  hundred  souls  altogether,  and  is  divided  into  numerous 
families  with  several  members  each.  The  men  are  almost  universally 
provided  with  fire-arms,  which  are  mostly  double-barreled  shotguns  of 
small  caliber,  which  carry  shot  and  bullet  with  almost  the  same  accu- 
racy. Bows  and  arrows  have  not  been  given  up  entirely,  though  in  use 
chiefly  among  the  younger  members  of  the  tribe,  who  are  not  able  to 
obtain  guns. 

The  ludians  are  of  medium  size  and  apparently  good  uatured  and 
kindly  disposed  towards  the  whites,  none  of  whom  have  settled  in  their 


i 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  83 

country,  or  even  venture  there  for  trading  purposes,  although  two  years 
ago  a  steamboat  went  within  a  few  days'  run  of  their  village.  As  long 
as  the  white  men  comply  with  their  demands  there  would  be  no  diffi- 
culty experienced,  but  as  they  are  almost  the  worst  beggars  in  the  world 
these  requests  have  necessarily  to  be  often  disregarded.  The  chief  of 
this  i)eople,  called  "  Kon-itl,"  is  an  old  and  dried  up  individual,  who 
]irobably  begs  more  than  any  other  member  of  the  tribe,  and  would  re- 
sign his  authority  over  the  people  for  a  large  sized  piece  of  tobacco. 
Civilized  clothes  are  in  use  almost  universally,  although  leg  coverings  of 
moose  skin  are  generally  worn  instead  of  trowsers.  The  supply  of  use- 
ful articles,  such  as  ammunition,  plain  articles  of  food,  &c.,  is  obtained 
from  several  different  sources. 

The  Chilkats,  since  the  earliest  times,  have  traded  with  these  Indians, 
and  obtained  from  them  their  best  furs.  The  English  up  the  Pelly 
River,  furnished  them  formerly  with  many  articles ;  and  during  the 
past  few  years  there  has  been  a  trader,  who  has  lived  during  the  winter 
about  150  miles  further  down  the  river.  They  do  not  buy  many  arti- 
cles of  food,  but  live  almost  entirely  on  fish,  meat,  and  a  sort  of  wild 
pea,  which  grows  quite  abundantly  throughout  this  section  of  country. 
As  long  as  they  have  plenty  to  eat  nothing  seems  to  disturb  them  at 
all,  and  they  rarely  ever  manifest  any  desire  to  improve  their  condition 
by  adopting  civilized  methods  of  living  and  working.  Considerable 
journeys  are  made  by  them,  both  up  and  down  the  river  in  their  canoes, 
which  are  made  of  birch  bark,  and  as  a  rule  perfectly  modeled,  being 
very  light  and  at  the  same  time  quite  strong.  The  great  skill  dis- 
played in  the  construction  of  their  canoes  seems  to  be  entirely  exhausted 
there,  for  throughout  their  camp  were  no  useful  articles  whatever,  ex- 
cept an  occasional  wooden  spoon  or  birch  basket  of  the  rudest  make. 

The  adjacent  country  is  mountainous,  and  abounds  in  game  of  differ- 
ent varieties,  such  as  mountain  sheep,  deer,  bears,  both  black  and  brown, 
and  moose.  The  last  named  animal  is  found  all  along  the  river  and 
furnishes  almost  all  the  meat  that  is  eaten  by  these  Indians.  The  only 
domestic  animal  found  among  them  is  the  dog,  which  in  the  summei  is 
of  comparatively  little  use,  but  during  the  winter  his  services  are  not 
onl3'  employed  in  hunting,  but  in  drawing  sledges,  and  in  even  pack- 
loads  on  his  back.  As  a  rule,  however,  a  number  are  hitched  to  a  sled 
and  considerable  journeys  made  over. the  frozen  river,  so  that  their 
dogs  are  almost  as  valuable  to  them  as  their  canoes,  and  especially  so 
when  the  severity  and  length  of  the  winter  are  taken  into  considera 
tion. 

As  far  as  is  known  these  Indians  have  never  been  at  war  with  the 
neighboring  tribes,  with  whom  at  present  very  friendly  relations  exist 
and  as  white  men  have  never  ventured  into  their  country  for  any  length 
of  time  no  difficulties  have  occurred  with  them.  They  are  not  what  might 
be  considered  as  honorable  or  even  brave  men,  for  they  would  not  dare 
to  approach  a  white  man  with  the  intention  of  doing  him  an  injury,  un- 


84  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

less  ill  cuusiderable  numbers,  but  would  not  hesitate  to  take  advantage 
of  one  when  he  least  expected  it. 

They  are  very  superstitious,  and  have  almost  implicit  confidence  in 
the  sayings  and  piedi(;tioiis  of  the  "  shaman,"  who,  as  a  rule,  is  a  good 
for  nothing  individual  who  gains  an  easy  living  by  thus  taking  advan- 
tage of  their  fears. 

The  territory  occupied  by  this  tribe  and  the  Tahk-heesh  as  well  lies 
entirely  in  tlie  English  jiossessious;  consequently  they  are  of  importance, 
in  a  military  sense,  only  in  respect  to  the  aid  they  might  furnish  other 
tribes  wlio  live  near  the  boundary  line.  The  native  name  of  the  sum- 
mer village  spoken  of  before  is  Ka-Tun. 

TAKON  INIHANS. 

Directly  opposite  Fort  Reliance,  a  trading  post  of  only  two  or  three 
log  houses,  and  situated  near  the  boundary  line  between  Alaska  and 
British  America,  and  in  the  latter,  is  an  Indian  village  of  considerable 
size.  The  houses  are  not  substantially  built,  being  of  logs  and  brush 
piled  up,  and  are  placed  almost  at  the  water's  edge.  This  point  is  dis- 
tant from  the  A-yan  village,  mentioned  before,  about  150  miles,  and  as 
the  current  in  the  river  is  quite  rapid  the  journey  down  stream  can  be 
made  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours  without  much  exertion  with  oars 
or  other  propelling  power.  If  occasion  required  a  trip  in  the  opposite 
direction  not  only  much  more  labor  would  be  necessary  but  much  more 
time  would  be  consumed,  as  boats  would  have  to  be  "  tracked,"  the  cur- 
rent running  about  3h  to  4  miles  an  hour.  The  Indians,  in  their  light 
canoes,  keep  well  towards  the  shore,  in  fact  as  near  land  as  possible, 
and  push  themselves  along  by  means  of  two  small  sticks  held  in  the 
hands  and  used  like  poles.  In  this  way  quite  a  fair  speed  is  maintained, 
but  not  a  great  distance  accomplished  during  the  day,  as  these  Indians, 
like  many  others,  are  generally  opposed  to  violent  exercise  of  an^^  kind 
in  which  there  is  any  element  of  work 

During  the  ])ast  few  years  a  trader  in  the  employ  of  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company  has  lived  among  this  tribe,  and  a  steamboat  has  like- 
Mise  made  several  trips  to  their  village,  so  that  they  have  had  opportu- 
nities of  providing  themselves  with  the  many  useful  articles  of  food  and 
clothing,  and  have  thus  been  thrown  in  direct  intercourse  with  civilizing 
influences. 

The  tribe  numbers  about  100  souls  altogether,  with  from  30  to  35 
able-bodied  men  who  are  capable  of  bearing  arms.  The  gun  used  by 
them  is  the  double-barreled  shotgun,  spoken  of  before,  and  most  of  the 
men  have  from  one  to  three  of  these,  while  some  are  provided  with 
Henry  rifles,  although  there  are  very  few  of  these.  They  are  poorly 
supi)lied  with  ammunition,  having  very  little  on  hand  at  one  time,  and 
their  only  iiossible  sources  are  the  steamer  and  trader  previously  men- 
tioned, the  Chilkats,  and  Hudson  Bay  Company  post  on  the  Porcu- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  85 

pine  Kiver.  Durin*;'  the  Aviiiter  these  Indians  wander  about,  oecn})yin^ 
temporary  houses  of  moose  skins,  which  they  carry  witli  them,  and  move 
from  place  to  phice  according  to  the  amount  of  game  found. 

The  country  is  quite  well  timbered,  but  the  soil  is  everywhere  covered 
with  a  thick  moss,  which  i)rotects  the  ground  beneath,  so  that  onl^"  a  lit- 
tle distance  down  the  ground  remains  frozen  all  the  year  round. 

Caribou  and  moose  abound  in  quantities  throughout  this  region,  and 
furnish  the  tribe  almost  their  only  means  of  subsisting,  except  the  root 
of  a  small  vine,  containing  considerable  sugar,  which  is  largely  eaten. 
Quantities  of  rabbits  are  also  found  during  the  winter  and  in  sufficient 
numbers  to  sustain  a  few  men,  or  at  least  furnish  sufficient  fresh  me  it 
to  guard  against  any  chance  of  disease,  if  due  care  be  observed  in  other 
respects.  Salmon  is  about  the  only  fish  caught  to  an^^  extent  in  the 
river,  and  as  the  season  only  lasts  during  July  and  August  of  each  year 
they  are  not  depended  on  for  food  only  during  those  months,  and  are 
not  dried  and  stored  away  for  consumption  during  the  winter. 

Communication  by  water  is  effected  by  means  of  canoes,  as  stated, 
and  also  by  rafts  in  going  down  stream,  and  by  land  by  dogs,  which 
are  made  to  pack  loads  during  the  summer  and  draw  the  sleds  in  win- 
ter. White  men's  clothing  has  been  pretty  generally  adopted  by  these 
Indians,  who  obtain  the  cloth  and  other  material  from  traders.  If  their 
supply  should  be  denied  them  they  would  experience  no  embarrassment, 
as  skins  of  different  kinds  would  then  be  used  and  no  trouble  would  be 
found  in  obtaining  them  in  sutficient  quantities. 

The  head  chief  of  the  tribe  is  called  Chil-tah,  who  has  always  mani- 
fested a  frieudlj^  feeling  towards  the  whites  and  has  considerable  influ- 
ence over  the  tribe.  Although  this  should  not  always  be  relied  on, 
these  Indians  are  more  under  the  influence  of  Christian  religion  than 
most  others  on  the  river,  Indian  missionaries  having  been  among  them 
from  time  to  time,  and  they  would  have  great  influence  both  in  preventing 
war  and  securing  peace.  There  are  several  of  the  so-called  "  shamans" 
among  them,  two  of  whom  have  acquired  considerable  notoriety  on  ac- 
count of  their  influence.  One  called  Ee-nuk  is  especially  well  known 
on  account  of  his  vicious  temper  and  his  great  inclination  to  stir  up  the 
remainder  of  the  tribe  into  committing  various  wrongs  against  the  trader 
wintering  at  their  village.  "Joseph"  is  the  name  of  the  other  man,  but 
he  does  not  have  as  bad  a  character  as  the  first  one.  The  influence  of 
these  individuals  over  the  tribe  is  very  strong,  but  as  they  practice  this 
art  as  a  means  of  living  the  interests  of  the  tribe  are  by  no  means  fore- 
most in  their  hearts,  consequently  well  directed  bribes  would  not  fai 
in  good  results. 

In  the  event  of  difficulties  arising  with  these  Indians  the  only  allies 
liable  to  unite  with  them  is  a  band  of  this  same  tribe,  not  included  in 
this  description,  who  number  about  sixty  and  live  over  towards  the 
headwaters  of  the  Tananah  River.  Allies  against  them  would  be  very 
difficult  to  secure  in  this  section  of  country. 


86  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

In  cliaractor  those  Indians  arc  not  at  all  brave  or  manly,  but  on  the 
contrary  are  threat  cowards,  and  notwithstanding  their  many  exi>res' 
sions  of  contempt  for  the  white  man  and  his  way  of  living,  yet  they  have 
great  respect  for  his  power.  One  determined  man  conld  awe  a  crowd 
of  them  if  they  considered  him  capable  of  intlicting  injury,  but  instead 
ol  making  any  resistance  at  such  a  time  they  would  wait  until  he  was 
oft  his  guard.  As  a  rule  they  are  willing  and  very  glad  to  have  the 
whites  come  into  the  country  on  account  of  convenience  in  trading  their 
furs;  but  last  year,  on  account  of  their  idleness,  sufficient  game  was  not 
secured  to  satisfy  their  desires,  so  that  their  demands  became  so  fre- 
quent for  charity  and  with  such  insolence  that  the  trader  considered  it 
more  prudent  to  remain  away  this  winter. 

To  carry  on  a  campaign  against  them  troops  would  have  to  be  brought 
in  by  the  way  of  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  and  among  the  unusual 
supi)lies  needed  would  be  clothing  for  winter  wear,  such  as  is  made  by 
the  natives  living  near  the  mouth,  and  for  use  in  summer  small-meshed 
mosquito  bars  as  a  protection  against  the  myriads  of  gnats  and  mos- 
quitoes which  swarm  about  constantly,  and  to  a  man  weakened  in  any 
way  as  by  wounds  or  sickness,  would  very  much  lessen  his  chances  of 
recovery. 

In  regard  to  the  name  of  this  tribe,  "Takon,"  which  is  adopted  at  the 
beginning  of  this  <les(;rij)tion,  is,  as  well  as  Avas  determined  through  our 
interpreter,  the  name  by  which  they  are  known  among  themselves. 
Among  the  Ingalik  tribes,  living  further  down  the  river,  they  are 
called  "  Tchi-cargut-kotan." 

The  native  name  of  the  village  itself  is  Nu-kla-ko,  consisting  of  about 
twelve  houses,  which  seem  hardly  capable  of  holding  all  the  Indians; 
for  although  the  number  as  counted  by  Mr.  John  McQuestion,  a  trader, 
■was  between  eighty  and  eighty  live  only,  there  were  evidently  many 
others  from  the  Touauah  country  visiting  at  the  time  of  our  meeting 
them. 

KT.AT-OL-K1.IX   INDIANS. 

This  is  a  name  given  to  this  tribe  of  Indians  by  a  trader's  half-breed 
Russian  interpreter  who  has  lived  among  them  for  several  years  ;  on 
what  authority  is  not  known,  for,  although  our  interpreter  could  not  be 
considered  entirelj'  reliable,  yet,  as  well  as  could  be  learned,  they,  like 
the  Indians  just  described,  call  themselves  Takon.  lu  manners,  customs, 
and  language,  they  resemble  the  Takons  very  closely,  but  as  a  rule 
seem  rather  more  particular  in  regard  to  their  personal  appearance,  lie- 
ing  somewhat  cleaner  and  better  dressed.  The  village  itself,  consisting 
of  seven  very  rudely-built  houses,  is  about  85  miles  below  Fort  Reliance, 
the  river  between  the  two  places  cutting  through  a  mountain  range,  and 
confined  generally  to  one  channel,  being  unlike  the  country  above  and 
below,  where  many  islands  and  gravel  bars  present  serious  obstacles  to 
the  successful  navigation  of  steamboats  and  other  craft.     About  a  mile 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  87 

below  this  point  are  several  well-built  log  houses  formerly  occupied  by 
traders,  but  have  since  been  abandoned  as  unprofitable,  it  being  consid- 
ered wiser,  if  possible,  to  make  the  Indians  come  to  a  store  rather  thau 
locate  it  in  their  midst,  on  account  of  the  inherent  tendency  among  them 
to  covet  everything  they  see.  Among  the  whites  the  Indian  vilhige  is 
known  as  ''  Johnny's  "  after  the  head  chief,  while  the  site  of  the  trad- 
ing station  is  known  as  Bell  Isle;  at  present  their  ammunition  and 
other  articles  of  food  and  raiment  are  obtained  from  traders  who  ascend 
the  river  in  the  early  summer,  and  until  this  winter  one  has  remained 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  so  that  the  bad  behavior  of  the  Indians 
at  Fort  Reliance  will  interfere  with  the  general  welfare  of  all  the  tribes 
living  in  this  section.  They  were  either  well  supplied  with  ammunition, 
or  very  prodigal  of  their  small  store,  on  account  of  their  expecting  the 
speedy  arrival  of  the  steamer,  for  our  approach,  as  was  general  all  along 
the  river,  was  hailed  by  a  perfect  fusilade  of  blank  shots. 

Among  other  customs  of  the  whites,  which  are  imitated  by  all  these 
Indians,  is  that  of  shaking  hands;  a  small  matter  in  itself,  but  one  that 
is  sincerely  regretted  when  required  by  every  man,  woman,  and  child 
in  the  village.  In  winter  these  Indians  leave  the  river  and  scatter  out 
in  different  directions  in  quest  of  game,  principally  moose  and  caribou, 
which,  in  reality,  provide  them  with  their  only  food.  Besides  these,  how- 
ever, great  numbers  of  bears  are  found,  particularly  of  the  black  variety ; 
also  deer,  mountain  sheep,  and  rabbits. 

While  the  salmon  are  running  in  the  river,  they  settle  down  at  their 
village,  which  is  situated  close  to  the  water's  edge,  and  do  nothing  but 
fish.  Great  skill  in  the  management  of  their  canoes,  and  keenness  of 
sight  are  required  in  order  to  obtain  the  supply  of  fish  as  they  do.  A 
dip  net  attached  to  an  oval-shaped  frame,  and  the  whole  fastened  to  a 
pole  about  10  feet  long,  is  their  only  means  of  ^taking  the  salmon.  One 
of  the  family,  generally  a  woman,  stands  up  on  the  bank,  and  observ- 
ing some  sort  of  ripple,  or  disturbance  in  the  water,  which  would  be  to- 
tally disregarded  by  an  inexperienced  eye,  points  out  the  spot  to  the 
man,  ready,  at  the  water's  edge,  to  start  out  in  his  canoe.  He  then  pad- 
dles quickly  out  to  the  place,  sinks  his  net  well  down  in  the  water,  and 
generally  manages  to  secure  the  fish.  Whether  successful  or  not  he  re- 
turns to  the  shore  ready  for  the  next  fish  to  appear  in  sight. 

These  Indians  number  about  100  souls  altogether,  with  from  35  to  40 
men,  who  are  what  might  be  called  able-bodied.  They  are  as  a  rule 
all  armed  with  double  barreled  shotguns,  of  small  caliber,  such  as  have 
been  spoken  of  before.  A  very  few  of  the  men  have  the  improved  rifle, 
but  as  the  introduction  of  cartridges  into  the  territory  is  prohibited, 
much  difficulty  would  be  and  is  experienced  in  obtaining  a  sufficient 
supply,  consequently  these  guns  are  very  little  sought  after. 

The  country  along  this  portion  of  the  river  is  quite  mountainous  and 
well  covered  with  timber,  ])rincipally  birch,  spruce,  and  poplar,  both 
of  which  grow  to  a  considerable  height.     The  soil  is  everywhere  covered 


88  MILITARY    RKCONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

witli  ii  thick  moss,  which  stays  moist  and  bofrfjy  throufjh  the  summer. 
About  the  houses  at  BeUe  IsU',  where  the  trees  liad  heeu  cleared  away, 
several  kinds  of  grass  were  growiiifj  luxuriantly,  reaching;  a  length  of 
about  12A  feet,  which  would  show  that  with  due  care  and  labor  certain 
hardy  varieties  of  produce  can  be  raised. 

This  band  of  Indians  are  very  kindly  disposed  toward  the  whites,  and 
seem  delighted  to  have  them  visit  their  village,  more  on  account  of  what 
tbey  can  procure  from  them  than  from  any  other  reason,  as  thej',  like 
most  of  their  brethren  in  this  ])art  of  the  country,  are  continually  beg- 
ging. Anything  in  the  shape  of  useful  articles  is  acceptable  to  them, 
and  such  things  are  preferred  iu  every  instance  to  beads  and  like  orna- 
ments. 

Tea  and  tobacco  are  the  articles  generally  asked  for,  so  that  if  every 
demand  were  responded  to  for  those  articles  a  large  enough  supply 
could  not  be  carried  into  the  country.  In  the  event  of  trouble  with  this 
band  the  only  Indians  liable  to  unite  with  them  are  those  living  at  Fort 
Eeliance,  and  likewise  a  small  village  below  them  on  the  river.  The 
only  difficulty  that  could  occur,  however,  would  be  through  some  mis- 
understanding in  trade,  or  on  account  of  the  avariciousness  of  the  In- 
dians, who  besides  many  other  faults  are  very  improvident  indeed,  and 
when  their  supply  of  food  is  not  very  accessible,  the  trader,  if  one  is 
living  in  the  neighborhood,  is  expected  to  provide  for  them.  No  white 
men  have  settled  in  the  country,  and  the  only  intercourse  which  these 
Indians  have  had  with  civilized  men  has  been  with  a  few  traders  and 
some  miners.  The  last-named  individuals  have  not  stopped  long  with 
them,  however,  as  the  prospects  of  rich  discoveries  were  never  so  flatter- 
ing as  to  warrant  any  very  lengthened  staj'S.  The  discovery  of  gold 
in  paying  quantities  is  probably  the  only  incentive  for  men  to  enter  the 
country,  and  were  it  not  that  indications  are  seen  all  along  the  river 
white  men  would  probably  never  venture  in. 

To  carry  on  a  campaign  against  this  band,  troops  would  have  to  be 
brought  in  by  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  should  be  well  provided  with 
some  sort  of  protection  against  mosquitoes. 

TABOOSH  OR  CHART^EY'S  INDIANS. 

The  village  occupied  by  this  band  of  Indians  is  known  among  the 
whites,  who  ascend  the  river  to  trade,  as  "Charley's"  village,  and  is 
situated  directly  on  the  river,  about  75  or  80  miles  from  the  village  pre- 
viously spoken  of  as  "John's;"  it  consists  of  oulj"  five  or  six  houses, 
which  are  built  after  the  general  plan  of  all  the  native  houses  on  this 
portion  of  the  river,  of  sticks  and  brush ;  and  with  just  enough  room  to 
accommodate  the  various  members  of  the  family,  including  the  dogs, 
which  are  by  no  means  few  in  numbers;  had  they  any  other  domestic 
animals  to  provide  for,  doubtless  an  entirely  different  style  of  structure 
would  be  adopted. 


MILITARY    KECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  8D 

The  (log-  is  to  them  what  the  horse  and  other  beasts  of  burden  are  to 
the  civilized  races ;  and  is  not  only  used  to  pack  on  his  back,  and  draw 
sleds  in  winter,  but  is  employed  like  the  proverbial  canal  mule  in  draw- 
ing their  canoes  up  stream,  not,  however,  when  a  single  member  wishes 
to  go  on  a  journey,  but  when  any  number  of  the  family  moves,  with  the 
various  household  goods,  &g.  These  Indians  number  in  all  from  40  to  50, 
and  undoubtedly  belong  to  the  same  tribe  as  those  living  at  Belle  Isle 
and  Reliance,  for  they  resemble  them  in  almost  every  particular,  and 
have  separated  doubtless  on  account  of  some  diflBculty  which  occurred 
years  ago.  All  the  men  are  armed  with  the  same  kind  of  shot-gun  as  other 
Indians  along  this  part  of  the  river,  and  their  ammunition  is  obtained 
from  the  same  source,  which  is  principally  the  steamboat,  which  makes 
the  annual  trips  already  spoken  of.  This  point  on  the  river  is  about  130 
miles  from  Fort  Yukon,  and  is  at  the  limit,  as  it  were,  of  the  hilly  coun- 
try ;  for  onlj'  a  few  miles  beyond  the  country  flattens  out,  and  the  river 
divides  up  into  almost  countless  channels,  with  islands  of  various  size 
between.  Considerable  game  is  found  in  this  section,  moose  i^redominat- 
ing  in  numbers,  and  furnishing  to  these  Indians  as  well  their  main  supply 
of  food  during  the  winter.  In  summer  they  live  in  their  village  on  the 
river  and  devote  themselves  to  catching  salmon,  which  run  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  feed  them  at  this  time,  but  their  means  of  catching  them 
are  too  primitive  to  admit  of  their  being  caught  in  such  quantities  as  to 
furnish  them  a  winter's  supply. 

In  regard  to  the  timber  of  this  region,  it  is  the  same  as  that  spoken  of 
previously,  the  birch  being  the  only  wood  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
any  useful  articles,  principally  in  the  construction  of  their  canoes,  which 
are  very  light,  durable,  and  beautifully  shaped.  A  frame  work  is  made 
of  a  light  wood,  generally  birch,  which  is  securely  fastened  together 
with  moose-skin  string  or  roots  of  the  spruce,  split.  A  covering  is  then 
made  of  birch  bark,  fastened,  wherever  joints  occur,  with  stitches  made  by 
splitting  small  spruce  roots,  which  are  very  flexible,  and  the  cracks  are 
then  closed  with  pitch,  put  on  with  a  firebrand,  in  the  same  way  that 
solder  is  used.  White  men's  clothes  are  universally  worn  by  these  peo- 
ple, who  buy  the  cloth  from  traders  ;  but  should  the  supply  be  cut  oft', 
no  great  difficulty  would  be  experienced  in  finding  a  substitute,  as  they 
can  procure  sufficient  furs  to  answer  every  purpose  of  dress  without 
very  great  exertion. 

The  head  chief  of  this  baud  is  known  among  the  traders  as  "  Char- 
ley," and  his  feeling  toward  white  men  is  very  friendly.  His  influence 
over  the  tribe  is  as  a  rule  quite  strong,  but  generally  these  men  are  quite 
independent  and  only  consult  their  own  individual  interests,  conse- 
quently any  bribe  or  reward  which  would  improve  the  pecuniary  condi- 
tion of  single  members  would  be  accepted  without  regard  to  the  gene- 
ral welfare  of  the  remainder  of  the  tribe.  They  hold  very  friendly 
relations  with  the  bands  of  Indians  living  above  and  below  them  on 
the  river,  and  are  i)articularly  pleased  to  have  white  men  come  among 


90  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

tluMii.  At  the  time  of  our  meeting  them  there  was  a  miuer  living  at  their 
vilhige  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  steamboat,  and  he  spoke  of  having 
been  very  kindly  received  and  hosi)itably  entertained. 

This,  as  well  as  the  other  tribes  of  this  section,  have  peculiar  ideas  of 
right  and  honor,  for  while  appaiently  never  hesitating  for  an  instant 
about  making  away  with  anything  which  hapi)ens  to  please  them,  pro- 
vi<U'<l  it  be  not  stored  away,  yet  if  "cached,"  as  it  is  called,  away  from 
the  owner,  they  will  not  touch  it,  and  are  said  to  regard  this  with  such 
respect  as  to  almost  starve  before  helping  themselves  to  any  food  so 
cached. 

In  a  military  sense  these  Indians  are  of  little  importance  on  account 
of  their  small  numbers,  and  even  should  they  join  anj'  neighboring 
tribes  as  allies,  they,  as  is  shown,  would  not  swell  their  ranks  very 
largely. 

In  regard  to  the  name  which  is  used  at  the  heading  of  this  descrip- 
tion, it  is  one  employed  on  the  authority  of  a  white  man,  who  had 
lived  among  them  some  time  ;  but  this  name  is  not  very  generally  in 
use,  especially  among  the  whites,  who  generally  speak  of  them  as  Char- 
ley's Indians. 

FORT    YUKON    INDIANS. 

The  principal  village  of  this  band  of  Indians  is  at  Fort  Yukon,  an 
old  station  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  which  was  abandoned  shortly 
after  the  purchase  of  the  territory  from  the  Kussian  Government-^as 
soon,  indeed,  as  it  was  determined  that  the  site  was  on  American  soil. 
All  that  remains  of  the  old  post  are  three  of  the  bastions  and  a  por- 
tion of  the  stockade,  with  a  few  of  the  buildings,  all  of  which  are  slowly 
disapi)earing  as  firewood  for  the  steamboat.  This  is  the  only  portion 
of  the  river  within  the  Arctic  circle,  the  few  miles  on  each  side  of  the 
old  i)Ost,  and  would  hardly  have  been  recognized  as  in  such  a  latitude, 
at  the  time  of  our  visit,  for  the  weather  was  extremely  warm,  in  every 
resjK'ct  like  that  of  the  temperate  region  in  summer.  In  reality  these  In- 
dians have  not  what  might  be  called  a  ]»rincipal  village,  for  they  rarely 
stay  any  length  of  time  in  one  place,  but  wander  over  the  country  be- 
tween the  Porcupine  and  Yukon  Kivers. 

When  the  trading  steamer  is  expected,  theycome  into  Fort  Yukon  in 
considerable  numbers  to  dispose  of  their  furs  and  obtain  various  useful 
articles.  This  section  of  country-  is  entirely  different  from  that  previ- 
ously drained  by  the  river,  for  instead  of  being  mountainous  in  every 
direction,  is  absolutely  flat,  with  not  a  single  hill  in  sight  anywhere. 
The  river  spreads  out  into  numerous  narrow  channels  and  sloughs,  with 
a  width  in  some  idaces  of  almost  7  miles.  It  has  the  appearance  of  the 
delta  at  the  mouth  of  a  large  river,  and  unless  one  is  ta?niliar  with  the 
different  channels,  different  places  on  either  bank  may  be  passed  by 
without  in  any  way  discovering  the  error. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  91 

Tbe  number  of  Indians  of  this  tribe  is  reckoned  by  men  who  have 
had  considerable  intercourse  with  them,  as  between  100  and  110  and 
although  much  less  than  this  number  were  assembled  at  Fort  Yukon 
when  the  steamer  passed,  many  villages,  though  small,  were  encoun- 
tered above  and  below,  the  inhabitants  of  which  belonged  to  this  same 
tribe. 

All  the  men  are  i)rovided  with  guns  of  some  description,  the  prevail- 
ing pattern  being  a  long  double-barreled  shotgun  of  small  caliber. 
Some  few  of  the  old  Hudson  Bay  Company  flint  and  percussion  lock 
muskets  are  seen,  however. 

The  country  about  abounds  in  game  of  various  kinds,  such  as  deer, 
bear,  caribou,  and  moose,  the  last-named  animal  furnishing  the  natives 
their  chief  article  of  food.  Especially  is  this  true  in  winter,  when  the 
river  is  frozen  over,  and  indeed  no  fish  running  up  stream  in  any  quan- 
tities. During  the  summer  this  tribe  occupies  villages  at  different  points 
either  on  the  mainland  or  on  islands  in  the  river,  and  devote  their  time 
to  catching  salmon,  which  is  about  their  only  food. 

Civilized  clothes  have  been  very  generally  adopted  by  these  Indians, 
who  prefer  such  garments,  when  able  to  obtain  them,  to  their  own,  which 
were  made  of  moose  skin  and  ornamented  in  different  places  with  bright 
colored  pieces  of  cloth  and  beads.  Their  supply  of  cloth  and  other  nec- 
essar;y  articles  such  as  ammunition,  cooking  utensils,  plain  food,  &c.,  is 
obtained  from  traders  who  ascend  the  river  from  stations  below,  and  also 
from  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  which  has  a  station  some  distance  up 
the  Porcupine  Eiver.  In  former  times,  before  the  Territory  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  United  States,  Fort  Yukon  was  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant if  not  the  largest  post  on  the  river.  Certainly  more  trading 
was  done  here  than  at  any  other  point,  for  Indians  from  different  tribes 
came  from  every  direction  to  trade,  and  boat-loads  of  goods  were  sent 
down  the  river  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Tananah  River.  At  the  pres- 
ent time  it  is  not  a  desirable  point  for  a  trading  station,  consequently  is 
not  occupied,  so  that  this  tribe,  though  formerly  thrown  very  intimately 
with  the  whites,  is  now  almost  completely  removed  from  any  civilizing 
influences.  At  the  time  of  the  English  occupation  an  effort  was  made 
to  improve  the  condition  of  the  tribe  by  teaching  them  the  rudiments 
of  knowledge  and  instilling  into  their  minds  the  jirecepts  set  forth  in 
the  Bible.  Kot  much  progress  was  made  in  this  direction,  however, 
other  than  teaching  them  a  few  hymns,  which  were  sung  with  great 
energy  by  the  Indians,  who  had  not  the  faintest  idea  of  what  it  all 
meant.  Being  naturally  fond  of  music  they  are  very  ready  and  willing 
to  embrace  any  such  opportunity  of  exercising  their  voices. 

The  English  are  said  to  have  had  gardens  and  have  been  very  suc- 
cessful in  raising  certain  kinds  of  vegetables  during  the  brief  but  hot 
season.  Their  example  has  not  been  imitated  by  the  Indians,  however, 
who  have  ai)parently  made  very  little  progress  in  this  direction.  The 
head  chief  of  this  tribe,  called  Senatee,  as  will  be  seen  by  his  photo- 


92  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

jjrapl),  is  quite  a  dijjiiilied  and  old  individual,  with  a  countenance  by  no 
means  jnepossossing.  He  not  only  has  ^re^t  influence  over  liis  imme- 
diate tiilie,  but  is  known  by  all  tlie  Indians  in  every  direction  atconsid- 
erabh'  distances  up  and  down  the  river,  and  what  he  suggests  is  re- 
spected by  the  various  tribes.  Even  the  traders  appreciate  bis  i)ower, 
have  been  in  the  liabit  of  allowing  him  a  certain  amount  of  goods  to 
trade  for  them,  receiving  in  return  a  very  small  e(iuivalent  tor  their 
value,  as  the  idea  was  not  for  pecuniary  gain  but  to  propitiate  this 
man.  As  there  are  at  present  no  white  men  who  are  living  permanently 
in  the  country  no  ditliculties  of  any  sort  can  occur,  but  should  they  enter 
and  settle  for  any  reason  these  Indians  would  receive  them  kindly,  for 
their  feeling  is  in  every  way  friendly.  Senantee,  though  ai)parently  very 
proud  of  his  authority,  is  very  kindly  disposed  in  every  respect  and 
seems  glad  to  deal  with  white  men. 

In  speaking  of  small  villages  above  and  below  Fort  Yukon,  tempo- 
rary fishing  villages  were  meant,  as  throughout  this  flat  country  Indians 
are  not  found  at  all  iiermanently  estal)lished,  and  the  only  idea  the  En- 
glish had  in  establishing  a  post  in  this  section  was  to  get  as  far  west  as 
possible  without  encroaching  on  Russian  territory.  As  it  was,  they 
were  some  distance  within  the  boundary,  as  determined  by  Capt.  Charles 
W.  Kay  mond,  of  the  Engineer  Corps,  United  States  Army.  In  the  event 
of  a  campaign  being  necessary  against  this  tribe  troops  would  have  to 
be  brought  in  by  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  should  be  provided  with 
proper  clothing,  such  as  can  be  obtained  from  the  natives  living  near  the 
coast,  and  some  sort  of  protection  agaitist  the  myriads  of  gnats  and  mos- 
quitos  which  render  existence  almost  unbearable  during  the  hot  sum- 
mer months.  In  fact  just  as  quick  as  the  snow  begins  to  melt  they  ap- 
pear and  do  not  leave  until  after  one  or  two  frosts. 

There  are  no  Indians  who  are  liable  to  unite  with  these  men  as  allies, 
as  all  the  tribes  throughout  this  region  have  a  separate  and  independ- 
ent existence,  though  a  grievance  of  an  individual  tribe  is  generally  a 
common  one,  and  at  present  could  occur  only  out  of  some  disagree- 
ment in  trading,  as  whites  are  thrown  with  them  only  in  this  emi)loy- 
ment. 

TANANAH    INDIANS. 

About  300  miles  below  Fort  Yukon,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river, 
there  enters  a  tributary,  which,  at  its  mouth,  appears  to  occupy  as  much 
space  and  convey  as  much  water  as  the  main  river  itself.  This  is  only 
apparent,  however,  on  account  of  the  flat  character  of  thecountiy  in  the 
in)mediate  vicinity,  for  although  a  large  stream,  it  is  nevertheless  con- 
siderably smaller  than  the  Y'ukon.  The  river  is  known  as  the  Tananah, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  white  men,  lias  never  been  explored 
to  any  extent  whatever.  These  two  men  made  a  portage  across  the 
country  .from  near  Belle  Isle,  and  came  npon  the  river  700  hundred 
•niles  from  its  mouth.     The  river  here  was  about  1,200  yards  wide,  and 


/ 
/ 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  93 

from  its  geueral  cbaracter  it  was  considered  that  it  must  have  flowed 
alreinly  a  distance  of  over  300  miles.  It  was  descended  from  here  in  a 
frail  boat,  rudelj"  constructed,  and  covered  with  two  moose  skins,  which 
was  in  constant  danger  of  being  sunk  by  the  numerous  sharj)  snags 
which  were  sticking  up  out  of  the  water.  On  account  of  the  character 
of  the  boat  and  the  great  dilficulty  experienced  in  stopping  when  it  was 
desired  a  too  large  estimate  was  undoubtedly  made  of  the  distance  trav- 
eled, though  these  figures,  judging  from  the  amount  of  water  poured 
into  the  Yukon  and  the  increase  in  the  rapidity  of  the  current  after  its 
entrance,  cannot  be  greatly  in  excess  of  the  true  estimate.  Another 
circumstance  which  would  tend  to  show  that  the  river  at  least  extends 
a  very  considerable  distance  beyond  the  point  where  the  white  men 
came  upon  it,  provided  they  traveled  almost  directly  across  country,  is 
the  fact  that  there  is  a  portage  which  is  used  by  the  Indians  from  the 
"White  River  across  to  near  the  headwaters  of  this  stream. 

The  White  River  is  ascended  a  distance  of  50  miles,  and  then  a  jour- 
ney of  about  twelve  days  is  required  to  reach  the  river.  It  is  said  by 
traders,  who  have  had  considerable  intercourse  with  these  Indians,  that 
during  the  occupancy  of  Fort  Selkirk  the  Tananah  Indians  were  in  the 
habit  of  coming  directly  into  that  post  without  making  a  journey  down 
the  White  and  thence  up  the  Yukon.  It  is  thus  seen  that  there  are, 
besides  entering  the  country  by  the  mouth  of  the  river,  three  different 
ways  which  are  or  have  been  used  in  traveling  backward  and  for- 
ward between  these  two  large  rivers,  which  were  used  by  the  Indians  in 
communicating  with  neighboring  Indians  and  traders  either  living  per- 
manently in  the  country  or  entering  it  temporarily  for  the  disposal  of  their 
goods.  It  is  not  known  how  long  was  required  in  the  journey  between 
the  river  and  Fort  Selkirk,  but  probably  a  shorter  time  than  by  the 
White  River.  The  portage  across  from  Belle  Isle  requires  about  ten 
days,  and  as  there  is  no  other  means  of  transporting  goods  than  by 
employing  Indians  to  pack,  except  perhaps  in  winter  when  sleds  might 
be  used,  great  difiiculty  would  be  experienced  in  conveying  any  num- 
ber of  men  across,  without  reducing  the  baggage,  etc.,  to  the  very  small- 
est amount  possible.  This  tribe  lives  all  along  the  river,  and  has  gen- 
erally had  the  reputation  of  being  very  warlike  and  in  every  way  averse 
to  civilizing  influences.  This  is  true  to  a  great  extent,  for  they  have  at 
different  times  displayed  considerable  jealousy  towards  prospectors' 
setting  out  with  the  intention  of  going  through  their  territory,  but  on 
various  occasions  have  expressed  a  great  desire  to  have  a  missionary 
come  among  them,  and  have  also  been  very  anxious  for  a  trader  to  es- 
tablish a  post  among  them.  Their  country  being  mountainous,  and  their 
life  being  one  of  activity,  being  passed  for  the  most  part  in  liunting 
game,  makes  them  more  inclined  to  war,  no  doubt,  than  other  tribes, 
who  lead  more  sedentary  lives,  and  secure  their  food  with  less  difficulty; 
yet  they  are  by  no  means  brave  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  and  like 
most  Indians  would  not  hesitate  to  take  an  unfair  advantage  of  au  enemy 


94  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

wluMi  he  had  the  least  suspicion  of  nuy  treachery.  Their  whole  miiuber  is 
variously  estimated  as  between  three  and  seven  hundred,  but  those  who 
have  had  most  frc<|ucnt  intercourse  with  them  reckon  tlioir  number  as 
about  five  hundrevl.  Of  these,  all  who  arc  capable  of  bcarinj;'  arms  are 
l)rovided  with  a  gun  of  some  description,  either  a  double  barreled  shot- 
gun of  small  caliber,  in  which  a  bullet  is  generally  emi)loyed,  or  the  old- 
fashioned  musket,  which  was  formerly  sold  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany. There  are  very  few,  if  any,  breech-loading  rifles,  and  are  not  sought 
alter  on  account  of  the  great  dilliculty  in  obtaining  ammunition  in  suf- 
ticient  quantity  to  sui)pl3-  them,  the  introduction  of  cartridges  into  the 
Territory  being  prohibited.  They  are  poorly  supplied  with  ammunition 
of  any  sort,  the  supply  being  obtained  from  year  to  year,  as  it  is  needed, 
from  traders  principally  at  posts  on  the  Yukon.  In  the  event  of  this 
source  being  denied  tliem,  their  only  other  means  would  be  from  the  Chil- 
kats  or  Hudson  Bay  Company  either  directly  or  through  the  agency  of 
Indians  of  other  tribes.  This  is  by  no  means  an  uncommon  occurrence, 
for  many  of  these  Indians  do  not  buy  goods  for  their  own  use,  but  for  jmr- 
poses  of  trade,  though  this  is  by  no  means  as  common  as  with  the 
natives  along  the  Alexander  Archipelago,  who  seem  to  take  i)articular 
delight,  as  it  were,  in  accumulating  wealth  in  the  shape  of  blankets 
and  other  useful  articles.  These  Indians  rarely  possess  more  in  the 
way  of  useful  articles  than  what  they  carry  with  them,  and  have 
more  or  less  diflficulty  in  always  supplying  themselves  with  these.  They 
are,  as  a  rule,  however,  fairly  well  clothed  in  civilized  garments  for  the 
most  part,  which  they  obtain  from  traders,  yet  being  somewhat  far 
removed  from  any  trading  post  a  good  many  wear  the  moose-skin  coats 
and  trousers.  In  the  event  of  their  being  denied  any  chance  of  ob- 
taining cloth,  very  little,  if  any,  embarrassment  would  be  occasioned, 
as  only  little  labor  would  be  required  in  obtaining  skins  and  furs  in 
quantities  sufficient  to  provide  for  all.  Their  habitations,  except  among 
the  Indians  living  near  the  mouth,  are  very  temporary,  being  made  of 
moose  skins  in  the  winter,  and  generally  of  a  lighter  or  less  substantial 
character  even  than  this  in  summer,  linear  the  mouth  of  the  river  some 
of  the  tribe  have  underground  houses,  such  as  are  in  use  among  the 
Innuits,  and  are  called  by  the  Russians  "  barraboras."  The  principal 
game  found  along  this  river  is  moose,  caribou,  and  mountain  sheep, 
which,  besides  the  salmon  and  whitefish  caught  in  considerable  quan- 
tities in  the  stream,  furnish  these  Indians  in  reality  their  only  food,  for 
were  these  cut  off  they  would  not  be  able  to  exist.  There  are  very  few 
edible  roots  or  berries  found,  about  the  only  thing  used  as  food  being 
the  small  root  of  a  pea-like  vine  which  contains  considerable  sugar, 
and  is  eaten  in  considerable  quantity.  Very  little  tlour  or  other  ])hun 
articles  of  food  are  bought  of  traders,  chiefly,  no  doubt,  on  account  of 
the  difficulty  in  transporting  it  home. 

Their  means  of  communication  are  by  canoes  on  the  water,  and  by 
laud  by  means  of  dogs,  packing  in  summer  and  drawing  sleds  in  win- 


I 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  95 

ter.  Rafts  are  not  used  by  thein,  ou  account  of  the  rapidity  of  the 
current  and  the  great  difficulty  experienced  in  managing  such  a  craft. 
In  regard  to  the  subdivisions  of  the  tribe,  there  are  three  bands  on  the 
lower  300  miles  of  the  river,  which  would  unite  together  in  the  event  of 
any  difficulty,  and  are  only  distinct  in  the  fact  of  their  having  separate 
heads  ;  whether  there  are  any  divisions  among  the  Indians  living  fur- 
ther up  is  unknown. 

The  chief  of  the  band  occupying  the  section  of  the  country  near  the 
mouth  is  an  old  man  known  as  "Ee-van,"  who  has  considerable  influ- 
ence over  thesubchiefs  and  people  generally. 

The  chief  of  the  baud  living  about  200  miles  up,  is  called  "Jack," 
and  exerts  only  slight  influence.  Another  individual,  called  the  black 
"shaman,"  not  only  exercises  authority  over  this  third  division,  but  also 
performs  the  office  of  medicine  man  among  these  Indians,  and  his  in- 
fluence, as  such,  is  very  strong  indeed.  Although  it  is  thought  that  a 
missionary  among  them  would  completely  destroy  this  influence,  not 
however  without  danger  to  himself,  as  these  shamans  are  very  jealous 
of  their  power,  and  are  very  prone  to  kill  the  object  of  their  jealousy 
themselves,  or,  as  is  often  done,  frighten  some  members  of  the  tribe  into 
committing  the  deed.  At  present  there  are  no  whites  anywhere  along 
the  river,  although  only  a  short  time  ago  there  was  a  trading  station 
some  little  distance  up  from  the  mouth,  which  has  siuce  been  aban- 
doned. 

The  trader  who  lived  among  them  speaks  of  them  as  friendly  towards 
the  whites  and  the  Indians  living  in  the  neighborhood,  and  if  a  man 
shows  determination  and  independence  in  his  treatment  of  them,  there 
need  be  no  fear  of  trouble.  Individual  disputes  necessarily  arise,  and 
in  such  an  event  if  one  asserts  his  rights  in  a  bold  and  firm  way  the 
Indian  generally  gives  way.  They  have,  of  course,  never  been  at  war 
with  the  whites,  of  whom  and  their  Government  they  know  very  little, 
and  have  the  most  exaggerated  ideas  of  soldiers  from  pictures  shown 
them  in  illustrated  papers,  and  at  the  same  time  profess  to  disbelieve 
entirely  the  existence  of  any  such  class  of  white  men.  The  only  In- 
dians liable  to  unite  with  them  in  war  are  some  living  on  the  Kosko- 
quien,  and  a  band  called  Too-clok,  who  live  on  a  river  of  the  same 
name,  which  empties  into  the  Tananah  from  the  west,  about  150  miles 
from  its  mouth.  Indian  allies  against  them  could,  probably,  not  be  ob- 
tained in  this  section  of  country. 

The  seasons  would  atfect  military  operations  in  their  country  consider- 
ably, for  in  the  summer  ordinary  clothing  could  be  worn,  while  provision 
would  have  to  be  made  against  the  extreme  winter  cold  by  providing 
troops  operating  against  them  with  garments  of  fur,  which  are  made 
and  sold  by  the  natives  living  near  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon.  All  the 
rivers  freeze  over,  so  that  transportation  by  water  has  necessarily  to  be 
abandoned  and  resort  had  to  sleds  drawn  by  dogs,  which  latter  can  be 
obtained  in  sufficient  numbers  throughout  the  whole  region.     Besides 


96  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

tlic  \\\v  clothos,  ail  ainph'  supply  of  mosquito  bars  should  be  carried  as 
a  littlo  protect  ion  ajjainst  those  pests. 

Tlio  appearance  of  a  body  of  trooi)s  with  authority  to  do  with  thisaud 
many  other  tribes  as  it  please»l  woukl  have  a  very  wholesome  effect,  as 
tliere  are  a  number  of  murderers  uni)unislied,  who,  if  i)roj)erly  rewarded 
for  their  misdeeds,  would  insure  the  good  behavior  of  the  remainder  of 
the  tribe  for  some  time  to  come. 

About  two  years  ago  a  Mr.  J5ean  ascended  the  river  a  short  distance 
aud  settled  there  for  the  purpose  of  trading,  lie  was  accompanied  by 
his  wife ;  and  one  morning  while  they  were  sitting  at  breakfast,  a  shot 
was  fired  through  the  crack  of  the  door,  killing  the  woman  almost  in- 
stantly. The  motive  for  the  deed  was  never  exactly  understood,  as 
no  difficulty  of  any  sort  had  occurred,  and  the  Indians  were  all  very 
fond  of  both  parties.  The  Indians  said  that  the  shaman,  through  some 
intiuence  or  other,  had  conceived  the  idea  that  for  the  good  of  all  a 
white  man  must  be  killed,  and  so  instigated  the  murder.  The  man  who 
did  the  actual  shooting  was  turned  over  to  the  only  trader  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, after  he  was  captured,  but  the  trader  being  afraid  of  a  reaction 
afterwards,  if  the  man  were  punished,  did  not  care  to  take  the  law  into 
his  own  hands,  aud,  in  consequence,  gave  him  his  liberty. 

INGALIK     TRIBES. 

This  name  is  given  to  the  various  families  living  along  the  Yukon 
River  and  its  tributaries,  below  the  so-called  "  Ramparts,"  and  extend- 
ing about  400  miles  dow-n  the  river.  As  regards  the  exact  limits  either 
way  it  is,  of  course,  very  difiicult,  if  not  altogether  impossible,  to  mark 
them,  for  those  bands  living  in  close  communication  with  those  of  en- 
tirely distinct  families,  by  loug  intercourse  gradually  adopt  certain 
ways  of  living,  and  other  improvements  in  different  things  over  those 
in  vogue  among  themselves.  In  consequence  of  this  different  authors 
would  be  apt  to  mark  the  limits  at  different  places,  according  to  the 
minuteness  with  which  they  had  observed  the  smallest  details  in  their 
every  day  life. 

From  Mr.  Fredickson,  a  trader  who  has  been  thirteen  years  in  the 
territory,  it  is  learned  that  the  last  Ingalik  village  is  about  40  miles 
below  the  settlement  called  Anvik.  Among  the  tribes  living  within 
this  section,  alreadj^  defined,  there  are  one  or  two  which  do  not  coincide 
in  every  particular  with  the  Ingaliks  proper,  a  fact  which  will  be  noticed 
further  on  in  speaking  of  them  individually;  but  they  are  so  similar  in 
manner  of  living  and  customs,  and  occupy  regions  so  contiguous,  that 
in  this  description  very  little  regard  will  be  paid  to  the  minute  aud 
delicate  distinctions  which  could  be  of  no  service  in  any  other  than  a 
strictly  scientific  sense. 

The  country  which  they  occupy  is  generally  mountainous  on  each 
side  of  the  river,  well  covered  with  timber,  principally  spruce,  poplar. 


d 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  97 

and  birch,  and  consists  mainly  of  rollin":  plains,  allied  to  the  tundra, 
so  called,  of  Siberia,  except  that  more  or  less  timber  abounds  as  men- 
tioned before,  the  ground  is  everywhere  covered  with  a  thick  grass  or 
moss,  which  remains  very  wet  and  soggy  all  the  \ear  around,  and  pre- 
sents great  difficulties  to  travel  unless,  as  it  is  during  many  mouths  of 
the  year,  thickly  covered  with  snow.  This  moss,  remaining  so  wet,  is  a 
poor  conductor  of  heat,  consequently  it  protects  the  soil  beneath  from 
the  rays  of  the  sun  during  the  few  months  that  it  sliiues  brightly,  so 
that  the  fiozen  ground  does  not  thaw  out  at  all.  With  this  condition 
of  affairs  it  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  fertile,  though  by  constant  care 
and  considerable  work  in  digging  ditches  for  purposes  of  draining,  cer- 
tain varieties  of  produce  can  be  raised. 

At  Nuklukoyet,  a  trading  station,  situated  on  the  river,  a  few  miles 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Tananah,  Mr.  Harper,  the  trader  there,  had  a 
garden  fenced  off,  in  which,  without  very  much  care  or  attention,  he 
had  succeeded  in  producing  turnips  of  large  size  and  of  excellent  flavor. 
Xo  other  vegetable  of  any  sort  had  been  planted,  but  he  thought  that 
any  of  the  hardier  varieties  could  likewise  be  made  to  flourish  and  show 
favorable  results. 

Several  tributaries  join  the  main  river  along  this  section,  none  of 
which,  however,  except  the  Tananah,  are  of  any  great  size.  The  Ko- 
yukun  comes  in  from  the  north,  and  is  interesting  in  the  fact  that  not 
only  quite  a  large  band  lives  along  its  banks,  but  from  its  headwaters 
a  portage  of  no  considerable  length  is  made  to  the  sea-coast,  at  Kot- 
zebue  Sound.  Across  this  portage,  trading  goods  of  different  kinds  were 
interchanged  between  the  Innuits  of  the  coast  and  these  interior  In- 
dians. Among  other  things  liquor,  originally  obtained  from  whalers  and 
other  trading  vessels,  was  disposed  of  to  the  Koyukuns,  who  thus  be- 
came addicted  to  the  use  of  alcohol  before  many  of  their  brethren,  and 
from  this  fact  they  have  acquired  considerable  notoriety  through  many 
difficulties  growing  out  of  drunken  sprees.  Many  of  these  disputes 
"were  of  course  trifling  in  character,  but  others  were  accompanied  by 
fatal  altercations. 

Some  distance  to  the  westward  of  the  mouth  of  the  Koyukun  is  the 
Kaltag  River,  a  small  but  very  clear  stream,  which  flows  in  a  south- 
easterly direction,  heading  up  in  close  proximity  to  the  source  of  the 
Oonalakleet  Kiver,  which  flows  into  the  sea.  During  the  time  of  the 
Rnssian  occupation,  when  Nulato,  situated  a  short  distance  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Kaltag,  was  a  trading  post  of  considerable  importance, 
the  journey  between  it  and  Saint  Michaels  was  most  conveniently  ac- 
complished by  means  of  these  two  rivers.  This  was  more  particularly 
the  case  in  winter,  when  both  streams  were  frozen  over  and  the  country 
generally  covered  with  snow. 

The  distance  between  Saint  Michaels  and  the  Oonalakleet  is  about 
40  miles,  and  is  made  in  canoes  along  the  shores  of  Norton  Sound,  or 
in  sleds,  according  to  the  season  of  the  year.     The  river  is  then  as- 
S.  Ex.  2 7 


98  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

cended  to  a  certain  point,  where  a  crossing  is  made  to  the  Kaltng,  and 
that  river  is  then  traveled  down  to  its  niontli,  from  wliich  point  it  is 
abont  40  miles  to  Xulato.  Somewhat  farther  down  the  river  the  Anvik, 
a  very  swift  stream,  enters  from  the  north,  and  a  jwrtage  across  coun- 
try to  Saint  Michaels  is  also  made  from  near  the  headwaters  of  this 
stream,  occupying  generally  about  live  or  six  days,  but  a  good  Indian 
can  make  the  distance  in  summer  in  three. 

These  rivers  are  the  oidy  ones  of  imi)ortaiice,  not  on  ac(;ount  of  their 
size,  as  the  Kaltag  is  a  very  small  stream,  but  as  attording  a  means  of 
communication,  and  one  that  is  practicable,  between  the  coast  and  the 
dift'erent  tribes  who  live  along  this  portion  of  the  river.  If  resort  had 
to  be  made  to  the  journey  by  wny  of  the  mouth  of  the  river,  especially 
in  entering  the  country ;  much  more  time  would  be  consumed  though 
for  the  transportation  of  a  large  number  of  men  this  way  would  be  more 
practicable. 

The  princii)al  game  found  in  this  region  is  moose,  reindeer,  and  many 
ditforent  varieties  of  water  fowl,  such  as  ducks,  geese,  swans,  &c. 

Dnring  the  winter  the  larger  game  is  hunted,  and  furnishes  the  in- 
habitants their  chief  support  in  the  way  of  fresh  meat.  Early  in  the 
spring  the  water  fowl  put  in  an  appearance,  and  later  on  the  tish  begin 
to  run  in  considerable  quantities  in  the  river.  Salmon  are  caught  in  con- 
siderable numbers,  but  the  chief  reliance  is  in  a  smaller  variety,  called 
whitetish,  which  is  obtained  in  greater  quantities  and  during  a  longer 
time.  Just  before  the  breaking  up  of  winter,  before  the  water  fowl 
put  in  an  appearance,  there  is  a  season  when  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
obtain  sutticient  food  of  any  kind  to  satisfy  the  ordinary  wants,  and  the 
inhabitants,  being  naturally  very  improvident,  do  not  profit  by  past  suf- 
ferings, to  store  ui)  sufficient  to  do  them  during  this  bad  season  ;  conse- 
quently in  the  past,  more  than  at  i)resent,  many  have  died  from  actual 
starvation. 

In  regard  to  the  whole  number  of  people  comi)rised  under  the  head- 
ing of  Ingaliks,  it  is  very  difticult  to  give  an  estimate  which  would 
approximate  the  truth  on  account  of  the  large  tract  of  country  occu- 
pied b}'  them  and  the  great  number  of  separate  villages.  In  one 
census  report  the  number  is  given  as  about  1,250,  and  as  many  as 
six  villages  are  mentioned  as  containing  a  population  of  over  100, 
while  one  is  spoken  of  as  containing  700.  These  estimates  were 
made  from  the  steamboat  as  it  ascended  the  river,  when  individuals 
from  all  around  assembled  at  different  points;  so  that  while,  of  course, 
giving  a  fair  idea  of  the  whole  number  in  the  region,  it  overestimates 
the  number  of  occupants  of  each  village ;  and  as  these  are  in  every 
respect  distinct  from  each  other,  much  perplexity  would  be  occasioned 
in  the  event  of  any  disturbance  arising.  Though  not  having  sufficient 
time  to  examine  minutely  concerning  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  each 
village,  yet  as  our  approach  was,  as  a  rule,  quiet,  and  in  every  way  un- 
exiiected,  we  did  not  i)ass  a  single  village  that  could  accommodate  as 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  99 

many  as  one  bniidred ;  and  as  it  was  more  often  tlie  case  that  the 
inhabitants  were  away  than  collected  together,  the  villages  almost 
invariably  presented  a  very  deserted  appearance.  The  whole  num- 
ber may  be  estimated  safely  as  between  1,200  and  1,500,  divided 
among  different  bands,  leading  lives  independent  of  each  other,  except 
the  interchange  of  certain  articles  in  trade.  The  relations  are  gener- 
ally friendly  in  most  respects,  but  in  the  event  of  a  dithculty  of  one  di- 
vision with  the  whites,  none  of  the  others  would  join  this  one  out  of 
pure  friendship,  unless  the  matter  in  dispute  were  one  which  concerned 
all  of  them  as  a  people.  Such  a  disturbance  at  present  could  onl^'  grow 
out  of  some  trading  interest,  as  that  is  almost  the  only  industry  which 
throws  them  in  contact  with  the  whites ;  in  fact  with  a  very  few  excep- 
tions the  only  whites  who  have  ever  been  in  this  region  have  been  in- 
duced by  prospects  of  large  profits  in  disposing  of  their  goods  to  the 
natives. 

The  only  miners  who  have  prospected  this  region  are  a  party  who 
wintered  there  during  1882,  and  they  not  only  found  the  chances  of  be. 
coming  suddenly  wealthy  far  from  flattering,  but  are  said  to  have  been 
actually  driven  out  of  the  country  by  the  myriads  of  mosquitoes  which 
swarm  in  such  numbers  during  the  summer  season.  To  give  something 
of  an  idea  of  the  numbers  and  annoyance  occasioned  by  these  insects, 
it  is  stated  as  a  fact,  by  men  who  have  been  in  the  country  any  time, 
that  animals  are  often  killed  by  them,  and  an  argument  in  proof  of 
the  veracity  of  this  statement  is  shown  by  the  great  sores  which  are 
produced  on  dogs  when  chained  in  one  place  for  any  length  of  time. 

Many  of  the  natives  take  advantage  of  the  civilized  improvements — 
in  the  shape  of  mosquito  netting,  for  instance,  which  thej'  use  as  a  veil, 
wearing  it  coiled  around  their  hats  when  not  in  use.  As  regards  these 
Ingaliks  as  a  class,  they  are,  as  a  rule,  of  average  height,  tolerably  well 
built,  but  slender,  differing  in  this  respect  from  the  natives  further  down 
the  river.  They  have  long  black  hair  and  a  complexion  brown  by  nature, 
but  often  verging  toward  black  on  account  of  a  liberal  covering  of  dirt. 
In  character  they  are  generally  pretty  brave,  but  by  no  means  inclined 
to  war,  and  are  by  no  means  so  upright  or  honorable  as  to  hesitate  to 
take  an  unfair  advantage  of  an  enemy.  Avarice  is  a  prominent  trait 
in  their  character  and  they  do  not  seem  to  have  very  much  affection 
except  perhaps  for  their  children. 

On  account  of  the  cold  and  damp  climate,  and  the  constant  exposure 
to  which  the  children  are  subjected  on  account  of  a  lack  of  sufficient 
clothing,  pulmonary  diseases  of  various  kinds  are  very  prevalen  c.  ^Nlany 
die  of  pneumonia,  it  is  said,  during  the  winter,  and  they  all  have  an  ap- 
I)earauce  as  if  inclined  to  consumption.  Whooping-cough  is  very  preva- 
lent among  the  children,  which  of  itself,  and  with  the  sequeh«,  causes 
the  death  of  a  number. 

Last  winter  there  was  a  severe  epidemic  of  some  throat  disease,  pre- 
sumably diphtheria,  as  well  as  could  be  acertained  from  the  different  des  - 


100  MILITARY    KKCONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

ciiptioMs.  Tbiscoinpletoly  ilesolated  some  families,  and  was  particularly 
fatal  amonj;  the  yomijier  ineinhers.  All  alonp;  the  river  numerous  and 
recent  graves  were  seen,  often  as  if  injlosinj^  the  bodies  of  whole  fam- 
ilies, judjying  from  the  amount  of  space  included  within  the  rough  fence. 

These  natives  are  (piite  industrious,  and  as  a  rule  willing  to  work, 
but  as  there  is  not  much  demand  for  their  services  they  do  not  lind 
much  employment  among  the  whites.  They  are  active  traders,  doing 
much  business,  as  it  were,  with  the  Innuits  living  down  the  river  and 
on  the  coast.  They  exchange  certain  wooden  utensils,  skins  (princi- 
l)ally  wolverine  for  trimming  garments),  canoes,  and  other  articles  for 
oil  and  skins  of  the  tame  rein«leer,  obtained  in  trade  principally  from 
the  natives  of  Asia.  The  canoes,  which  they  use  themselves  and  trade 
to  the  lower  river  Indians,  are  made  of  birch  bark,  similar  in  many  re- 
spects to  those  iu  use  by  the  Indians  living  nearer  the  headwaters  of 
the  river,  but  they  are  far  moi'e  substantially  built  and  not  so  well  mod- 
eled. They  have  to  be  built  on  firmer  fiames  on  account  of  being  used 
on  rougher  water;  for  the  river  spreading  out  in  this  lower  country  af- 
fords ample  space  for  the  wind  to  create  considerable  commotion  in  the 
water,  which  would  [vrove  disastrous  to  any  craft  less  substantially  made. 
These  canoes  atibrd  them  during  the  summer  almost  their  ouly  means 
of  communication,  although  one  of  the  large  skin  boats  of  the  Innuits, 
called  a  "bidarra"  by  the  Russians,  is  occasionally  seen  in  use  among 
them.  These  are  propelled  by  means  of  paddles  and  sails  and  are  capable 
of  carrying  immense  loads. 

During  the  winter,  which  in  reality  is  the  season  when  they  do  most 
of  their  traveling,  their  reliance  for  trans])ortation  of  their  property, 
as  well  as  themselves,  is  in  their  dogs,  w^hich  are  capable  of  making  very 
long  journeys  without  requiring  very  much  food.  The  dog  is  the  ouly 
domestic  aninuil  found  among  them,  and,  as  is  seen,  answers  their  pur- 
pose far  better  than  the  horse  or  any  other  draft  animal. 

In  the  section  of  country  occupied  by  these  natives  there  are  two 
white  men  permanently  settled  for  the  purpose  of  trading  with  them. 
One  at  Nuklukayet,  or.  more  properly,  Tananah  Station  (the  first  name 
being  that  of  an  abandoned  post  situated  a  short  distance  up  the  river), 
supplies  the  lower  Tai:anah  district  and  all  the  region  up  and  down  on 
each  side  of  the  river  for  a  a  considerai)le  distance. 

The  Indians  generally  come  in  early  in  the  year,  so  that  they  are  very 
often  collected  about  the  post  at  one  time  to  the  number  of  400  or  more, 
and  occupy  their  time  in  dances  and  celebrations  of  all  kinds.  At  other 
times  during  the  year  single  individuals  come  in,  obtain  what  they  re- 
quire and  leave,  so  that  as  a  general  thing,  the  post  and  its  surround- 
ings have  more  of  a  deserted  ai)pearance  than  otherwise. 

The  other  trading  post  is  at  Anvik,  which  sui)plies  the  natives  living 
along  the  Anvik  River,  the  Shageluk  section,  and  the  country  along  the 
river,  both  up  and  down.  The  larger  portion  of  the  trading  material 
is  brought  up  on  the  steamboat  at  the  time  of  its  annual  trip  in  the 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN.  A"i.ASK;A.  ^'(>i 

suinnier,  altliongli  some  little,  especially  articles  of  food,  is  bi ought 
over  the  dift'erent  poitages  by  means  of  dogs  aud  sleds  in  winter.  From 
these  places  the  natives  obtain  their  supply  of  ammunition  and  other 
articles,  such  as  cloth  of  various  kinds,  for  making  their  clothes,  which 
are  in  pattern  such  as  are  worn  by  civilized  people  during  the  warm 
weather. 

In  winter  they  wear  clothes  of  reindeer  skins,  which,  as  stated  be- 
fore, are  generally  obtained  from  the  natives  living  nearer  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  who  seem  to  be  much  more  expert  in  the  manufacture  of 
their  clothing  than  the  Ingaliks.  Should  these  two  places  be  aban- 
doned the  only  other  sources  of  obtaining  useful  articles  would  be  from 
whites  living  further  down,  directly  or  through  other  Indians. 

Considerable  dour  is  disposed  of  to  these  people,  who  in  many  ways 
have  adopted  different  civilized  improvements.  All  their  uncouth  and 
rude  cooking  utensils  have  been  very  generally  set  aside,  and  those 
obtained  from  the  whites  adopted  in  their  places.  Tea  and  tobacco  are 
the  articles  most  sought  after,  and  it  is  the  rarest  exception  for  a  trade 
to  fall  through  if  either  of  those  articles  be  offered  in  exchange  for 
what  is  considered  as  an  equivalent  in  value.  The  habit  of  drinking 
tea  was  acquired  during  the  Russian  occupation,  and  this  race  has  left 
its  imprint  on  the  inhabitants  in  many  other  ways.  Wherever  the  Rus- 
sians had  settlements  many  of  the  natives  were  employed  by  them, 
and  they  were  invariably  treated  with  the  utmost  harshness  and  cruelty, 
and  had  it  not  been  from  fear  many  an<l  serious  difficulties  would  have 
occurred  ;  in  fact  many  murders  were  indeed  committed,  oftentimes  in- 
nocent parties  being  the  victims. 

The  subdivisions  of  these  Ingaliks  are  not  made,  generally,  with  any 
regard  to  a  difference  in  the  habits,  customs,  ceremonies,  «&c.,  as  they 
are  all  very  much  alike  in  these  respects,  but  simply  from  the  different 
parts  of  the  river  which  they  occupy  have  they  derived  different  names. 
For  instance,  those  about  Nuklukayet  are  known  by  the  same  name,  and 
so  on  with  the  Kaltags,  Nalatos,  Shageluks,  Anviks,  &c.  As  regards 
those  natives  living  along  the  Koyukun  River,  and  called  by  that  name, 
they,  by  some  authors,  are  not  considered  as  belonging  to  the  Ingaliks, 
although  they  speak  the  same  language  and  resemble  them  in  very  many 
respects.  They  are,  however,  considered  more  warlike,  which  might  be 
from  the  fact  of  their  leading  a  more  active  life,  and  by  some  are  con- 
sidered the  most  attractive  looking  Indians  of  this  portion  of  the 
country.  This  last  consideration,  of  course,  is  a  mere  matter  of  fancy, 
and  they  might  be  far  more  pleasing  to  the  eye  than  many  others,  with- 
out even  then  producing  a  favorable  impression. 

Each  subdivision,  or  more  strictly  speaking  each  village,  has  its  head 
chief,  who  is,  however,  not  looked  up  to  with  the  same  veneration  as 
among  other  tribes,  for  these  people,  being  very  superstitious,  have  far 
more  respect  for  the  medicine  man,  or  shamans  as  they  are  called  among 
them.    These  individuals  are  generally  very  shrewd,  and  exercise  their 


10:^  MILITAUY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

tiiU'iits  ill  ciiriiij;  disease,  not  i'or  the  f^ood  of  tlie  people,  but  as  a  iiieaus 
ot'li\iii^  lor  themselves,  consecinentl.v  they  are  oftentimes  very  uuscru- 
l)iilons,  an<l  with  such  superstitious  minds  to  work  on,  often  do  a  great 
deal  of  liarm  onaccount  of  thus  practicing  tlieir  tricks  and  mysteries  as 
a  trade;  bribes,  if  judiciously  oflered,  would  undoubtedly  accomplish  all 
that  was  required. 

The  habitations  which  are  occu[)ied  by  the  ])eople  are  (juite  substan- 
tially built  of  logs  and  hewn  timber,  generally  near  the  water,  and  are 
only  partially  bullet  proof  some  are  partially  underground,  the  last 
named  being  met  with  more  and  more  frequently  as  you  aj)proach  the 
region  occupied  by  the  Innuits,  from  whom  they  have  undoubtedly  ac- 
(piired  this  method  of  building.  The  language  si)oken  by  the  Ingaliks 
is  one  peculiar  to  themselves,  and  in  reality  is  the  main  mark  of  dis- 
tiuctiotj  between  them  and  the  natives  living  both  above  and  below 
them.  j\Iany  of  them  have  learned  considerable  of  the  liussian  lan- 
guage, which,  combined  with  their  own  tongue,  forms  a  patois  which  is 
employed  in  trading.  Xo  attempt  has  been  made  to  improve  the  con- 
dition of  these  natives  by  the  establishment  of  schools  before  or  since 
the  departure  of  the  Russians,  so  that  even  now  they  continue  to  live 
as  ignorant  as  at  the  time  of  their  earliest  intercourse  with  the  wdiites. 
Very  little  advancement  has  been  nuide  in  the  way  of  Christianity,  al- 
though priests  of  the  Greek  church  have  been  among  them  since  the 
earliest  times  ;  yet  the  natives,  while  always  desirous  of  being  baptized 
and  reckoned  as  true  converts  to  the  faith,  nevertheless  they  have  not 
the  smalkstidea  of  what  it  all  means,  and  in  consequence,  no  beneficial 
results  accrue,  suck  as  an  improvement  in  moral  tone,  &c. 

An  episode  which  occurred  last  year  w  ill  give  a  very  fair  idea  of 
what  changes  are  made  on  these  savage  minds  by  prospective  salvation. 
A  Kussian  priest  came  up  from  the  mission  to  Anvik,  with  the  purpose 
of  baptizing  a  number  of  Indians,  who  were  to  come  down  from  the 
Shageluk  village  above  and  meet  him.  Previous  to  this  time  there  had 
been  two  trading  companies  on  the  river,  and  one  being  only  just  with- 
drawn the  prices  given  for  furs  were  necessarily  immediately  lowered, 
which  fact  created  much  feeling  among  these  Indians.  As  they  w  ere  to 
meet  the  i)riest  at  Anvik,  it  was  considered  an  excellent  opportunity  to 
take  revenge  on  the  trader  at  the  same  time;  consequently  a  plot  w^as 
arranged  by  which  means  several  of  the  men  were  to  be  admitted  to  the 
store  at  the  same  time.  The  trader  was  to  be  bound,  and  perhaps 
killed,  and  the  store  plumh'red.  Fortunately  the  plan  was  disclosed 
by  the  Anvik  Indians,  who  refused  to, lend  their  aid,  and  the  Indians, 
finding  the  trader  warned,  decided  not  to  make  any  such  attempt.  Any 
outbreak  by  these  men  would  be  in  some  such  underhand  way,  for  a 
single  determined  white  man  can  intimidate  any  number,  provided  they 
do  not  obtain  an  unexpected  advantage.  At  present,  except  perhaps  iu 
certain  matters  concerning  the  disposal  of  furs,  the  most  friendly  re- 
lations exist  between  these  Indians  and  the  whites  residing  iu  and  pass- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  103 

iug  tlirougli  tbeir  conutry.  iSeveral  murders  are  recorded,  the  most  atro- 
cious being  the  massacre  at  Nulato  iu  18j1  by  the  Koyukuns,  which  is 
spoken  of  as  beiug  brought  on  by  the  blunt  manners  of  a  lieutenant  in 
tlie  English  navy. 

In  reality  the  Indians  had  been  jealous  of  the  whites  establishing 
themselves  permanently  among  them,  and  had  manifested  this  feeling 
on  two  or  three  different  occasions  by  destroying  the  improvements 
made  during  the  summer  by  the  Russians,  and  abandoned  in  winter. 
In  1851,  ten  years  after  the  post  had  been  established  at  Nulato,  Lieut. 
J.  J.  Barnard  arrived  there  in  seach  of  information  concerning  the  lost 
Franklin  party,  he  being  a  member  of  an  expedition  sent  out  for  that 
purpose.  Instead  of  politely  requesting  an  audience  of  an  influential 
chief  of  the  Koyukuns,  he  sent  for  him,  which  was  considered  an  in- 
dignity by  the  chief,  who  immediately  set  about  to  obtain  satisfaction 
for  the  insult.  Before  arriving  at  the  station  a  Russian  and  an  Indian 
companion  were  killed  and  said  to  be  eaten,  after  which,  before  the 
attack  was  made  on  the  whites,  the  native  village  near  by  was  set  on 
fire,  and  the  inhabitants  shot  with  arrows  as  they  ran  from  their  houses. 
Notwithstanding  all  the  noise  of  this  the  whites  were  not  aroused,  and 
the  commander  as  well  as  Lieutenant  Barnard  were  killed  almost  in 
their  beds  in  attacking  the  room  occupied  by  two  Russian  workmen; 
one  of  their  number  being  killed  created  a  panic  among  them,  and  they 
thereupon  departed.  Lieutenant  Barnard  died  before  aid  could  arrive 
from  Saint  Michaels  redoubt,  and  his  grave  is  now  seen  a  short  distance 
to  the  rear  of  the  old  post,  which  consists  now  of  two  or  three  log  houses 
partially  fallen  down.  Last  year  a  Russian  was  killed  by  an  Indian 
living  at  ISTulato,  and  the  murderer  still  goes  unpunished,  though  in  con- 
stant fear  of  being  killed  or  otherwise  injured  by  the  whites.  This  mur- 
der, though  by  no  means  justifiable,  is  nevertheless  accompanied  with 
circumstances  more  or  less  extenuating.  The  Russian,  whose  name 
was  Ivan  Kogenikoff,  was  held  in  great  fear  by  all  the  Indians,  not 
only  on  account  of  his  naturally  quarrelsome  disposition,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  very  summary  manner  in  which  he  had  avenged  a  murder 
occurring  farther  down  the  river  some  years  ago,  and  many  of  them 
would  have  been  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  disposing  of  him  had 
they  dared.  One  night  he  was  being  literally  dragged  home  in  a  help- 
less state  of  intoxication  by  an  Indian  whose  brother  had  been  killed 
by  a  sou  of  Kogenikoff.  The  Indian,  seeing  him  so  utterly  helpless  and 
so  completely  in  his  power,  struck  him  on  the  head  with  an  ax,  consid- 
ering the  deed  justifiable  in  revenge  for  the  death  of  his  brother. 

Bows  and  arrows  have  been  utterly  abandoned  by  these  tribes  who 
are  provided,  generally,  with  double-barreled  shotguns  of  small  caliber, 
in  which  a  bullet  may  be  used. 


104  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 


INNUIT    TIMIJES. 

This  is  ii  ii;mu'  uivcn  to  tlieinselvcs  hv  nil  tiie  luitivcs,  who  are  more 
coninioiily  si)okcii  of  as  Eskimo,  aiul  as  thi'y  extend  all  aloiiji'  the  shore 
of  the  Ar(;tie  Ocean, as  well  as  alony  the  western  coasl  of  Alaska  syuth 
to  Monnt  Saint  Elias,  they  necessarily  consist  of  a  great  number  of 
divisions. 

These  various  branches  resemble  each  other  in  many  particulars,  but 
likewise  differ  in  other  respects,  accord  in  j^:  to  the  country  which  they 
occupy  and  the  different  pursuits  followed  in  obtaining  food,  «&c.  They 
differ  widely  from  the  natives  of  the  interior,  who  are  spoken  of  as  In- 
dians, not  only  in  customs,  habits,  numner  of  living,  &c.,  but  even  ia 
their  anatomy,  showing  conclusively  that  they  belong  to  an  entirely 
different  family.  Men  versed  in  the  science  of  ethnology,  on  pickiug 
up  the  skull  of  one  of  this  family  can  distinguish  it  instantly  from  au 
Indian  skull. 

As  many  as  seventeen  or  eighteen  different  tribes  are  mentioned  as 
dwelling  along  the  western  coast  of  Alaska  from  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Copper  Kiver,  including  those  inhabiting  the  various  islands  in 
Bering  Sea  and  Straits.  Of  these  divisions  those  living  on  the  island  of 
Kadiak  are  the  most  powerful,  and  at  the  same  time  comprise  more  in- 
habitants than  any  other  along  the  coast.  They  were  fermerly  con- 
sidered as  Aleuts.  But  at  the  time  of  the  first  visitors  appearing  among 
them  they  were  carrying  on  an  active  warfare  with  the  natives  dwelling 
on  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  differ  from  them  in  energy  and  spirit, 
being  very  much  less  influenced  by  contact  with  the  Russians  than 
many  of  the  other  tribes. 

Between  the  island  of  Kadiak  and  the  Yukon  delta  six  different 
tribes  are  mentioned  as  occupying  the  intervening  country;  they  re- 
semble each  other  very  closely,  and  only  differ  in  certain  minute  partic- 
ulars, principally  in  their  vocabularies,  certain  words  being  substituted, 
and  slight  changes  in  the  terminations  of  other  words  being  found. 

Those  tribes  living  near  the  mouth  of  the  different  rivers  have  as- 
cended these  streams  to  variable  distances,  as  is  seen  in  the  case  of  the 
so-called  Ekogmuts  or  Ikvogmutes,as  they  are  sometimes  called.  These 
natives  inhabit  the  Yukon  delta,  and  are  found  along  the  river  a  dis- 
tance of  about  300  miles  from  its  mouth.  The  village  of  Manki,  or 
Makeymute,  situated  about  40  miles  below  Anvik,  is  the  most  inland 
village  of  the  Innuits,  and  is  the  dividing  line  between  them  and  the 
Ingaliks. 

The  tribes  along  the  shore  of  Norton  Sound  are  called  Mahlemuts 
and  Unaligmuts  or  Unaleets,  and  are  important  in  the  fact  of  their 
living  in  the  neighborhood  of  Saint  Michael's,  and  having  been  thrown 
in  direct  intercourse  with  the  whites  both  Russian  and  American  since 
the  establishment  of  a  post  at  that  place.    The  term  ''  Mahlemut"  is  often 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  105 

applit'd  to  all   the  Innuits,  both  along  the  river  and  vicinity  of  Saint 
Michael's  as  well. 

In  regard  to  the  general  characteristics  of  these  different  tribes,  it 
may  be  stated  that  their  conii)lexions  are  brown,  not  the  copper  color 
generally  ascribed  to  the  Indian,  this  color  being  influenced  in  shade, 
more  or  less,  by  exposure  to  the  sun  and  b^^  a  lack  of  proper  attention 
to  regular  bathing."  They  are  generally  of  average  height,  very  often 
exceeding  this,  and  the  men  are  well  built  and  possess  great  muscular 
power,  enabling  them  to  lift  almost  inci  edible  loads.  As  a  rule  they 
are  good-natured,  willing  to  work,  and  are  not  easily  made  angry.  They 
are  not  warlike,  and  as  a  rule  are  very  cowardly  indeed,  being  not  only 
in  great  fear  of  the  Indians  of  the  interior,  but  they  have  the  great- 
est respect  for  the  whites  in  certain  villages  where  there  has  been  a 
trader  among  them.  One  determined  man  can  do  exactly  as  he  pleases, 
as  is  shown  by  the  high-handed  treatment  to  which  they  are  at  times 
subjected.  It  is  said  that  on  the  mysterious  disappearance  of  any  arti- 
cle the  trader  would  start  through  the  village  with  a  whip,  slashing 
here  and  there  until  the  article  was  returned.  This  undoubtedly  is 
somewhat  exaggerated,  though  they  have  very  much  more  respect  for  a 
man  of  this  kind,  being  accustomed  to  such  treatment  ever  since  their 
first  intercourse  with  white  people.  A  peculiarity  of  these  Innuits  is  the 
growth  of  hair  on  the  face  and  body;  forming  a  striking  contrast  in 
this  respect  with  other  native  tribes. 

The  tribe  living  on  the  Yukon  is  said  to  differ  in  this  respect  more 
markedly  than  any  other,  many  of  the  men  having  very  heavy  mustaches 
and  beards.  The  singular  custom  of  wearing  labrets  is  in  vogue  among 
them.  A  hole  is  pierced  on  each  side  of  the  lower  lip,  just  below  the 
angle  of  the  mouth,  and  through  this  is  worn  some  sort  of  ornament  of 
bone,  ivory,  or  stone.  This  prevails  among  the  men,  while  the  women 
adorn  themselves  by  tattooing  the  chin,  which  is  often  the  only  means 
of  telling  them  from  the  men,  except,  perhaps,  the  cut  of  their  fur  gar- 
ments. As  a  general  rule  the  kind  of  clothing  in  use  among  them  since 
the  earliest  times  is  retained  by  them,  instead  of  adopting  the  civilized 
garments,  which,  at  best,  could  only  be  used  with  any  degree  of  comfort 
during  the  summer.  These  native  garments  consist  of  a  coat  made  of 
reindeer  skin,  and  extending  almost  to  the  knee,  with  a  hood  to  be 
thrown  over  the  head,  with  a  trimming  generally  of  wolf,  or  other  long 
fur,  which  answers  as  a  protection  to  the  face  against  the  wind. 
Breeches  are  worn  below  this,  which  are  continuous  with  the  foot  cover- 
ing in  the  female  garment,  but  separate  as  worn  by  the  men.  The  boots 
are  made  entirely  of  deerskin  except  the  soles,  which  are  of  the  thick 
skin  of  the  seal,  and  capable  of  withstanding  considerable  wear.  These 
are  worn  with  a  thick  layer  of  cloth,  or  straw,  around  and  beneath  the 
foot,  to  absorb  the  moisture,  and  protect  the  sole  from  injury  when  step- 
ping on  rough  ground,  &c.  A  certain  kind  of  boot  for  use  in  the  water  is 
found  among  them,  made  of  seal  or  fish  skin,  which  is  almost,  if  not  fully, 


106  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCK    IN    ALASKA. 

as  impervious  as  those,  iiia<le  of  rubber  by  more  civilizt'd  i)eoi)le.  lu  re- 
pud  to  the  coat  called  a  "parka"  by  the  whites  dwelling  in  the  coun- 
try, the  only  dilVerence  between  that  worn  by  the  women  and  the  men 
is  the  way  it  is  shaped  at  the  bottom.  That  for  the  men  is  cut  almost 
straight  around,  while  the  other  is  cut  np  at  the  side,  forming  a  semi- 
circular tlap  extending  below  the  knee  in  front  and  behind. 

White  men  living  in  the  conntry,  when  exposing  themselves  to  the 
climate  in  journeys  among  the  different  villages,  invariably  use  these 
parkies,  the  custom  beiug  as  with  the  natives,  to  wear  two;  the  one 
nearest  the  skin  having  the  fur  side  in,  while  the  reverse  is  practiced 
with  the  outer  one. 

The  country  along  the  river,  which  is  occupied  by  these  natives,  does 
not  differ  materially  from  that  farther  up,  except  in  the  timber.  Trees 
of  considerable  size  gradually  disap])ear  until  small  shrubs  only  remain, 
and  down  toward  the  region  of  the  delta  everything  in  the  Avay  of  trees 
disappears,  presenting  nothing  to  the  eye  except  a  broad  expanse  of 
country.  This  consists  everywhere  of  a  marshy  prairie  land,  known  as 
tundra,  thickly  covered  with  moss,  and  only  fertile  to  a  small  extent, 
even  after  much  care  is  taken  to  drain  it. 

On  the  island  of  Saint  Michaels,  where  a  trading  station  has  been  es- 
tablished for  many  years,  vegetables  of  different  kinds  are  produced, 
such  as  turnips,  radishes,  and  lettuce.  The  soil  here  does  not  differ 
from  that  along  the  lower  portion  of  the  river,  except  it  may  be  less 
moist,  so  these  same  vegetables  ought  to  succeed  as  well  there  if  the 
same  attention  be  paid  to  their  cultivation. 

Along  the  left  bank  of  the  river  the  country  is  everywhere  flat, 
while  a  chain  of  hills  extends  along  the  right  bank  almost  to  the  delta, 
which  seems  to  have  the  effect  of  turning  the  river  away  from  the  i)oint 
where  it  would  naturally  seek  the  sea,  and  bending  it  for  some  little 
distance  to  the  south. 

These  natives  occupy  i)ermanent  villages,  situated,  in  the  case  of  the 
Ekogmuts  along  the  river,  and  built  close  to  the  water's  edge.  The 
houses  are  of  two  kinds,  one  for  use  in  summer  and  the  other  to  be  oc- 
cupied when  the  weather  is  colder.  The  former  are  built  mostly  above 
ground,  of  logs  and  hewn  timber,  with  the  roof  generally  more  or  less 
covered  with  dirt,  with  a  hole  in  the  center  for  the  passage  of  smoke. 
The  winter  houses  are  built  of  logs,  either  entirely  underground,  as  when 
built  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  which  is  a  favorite  site,  or  covered  entirely 
with  earth  piled  u])  around  them.  The  entrance  consists  of  a  hole  just 
large  enough  to  accommodate  a  human  beiug  on  his  hands  and  knees, 
which  is  closed  by  means  of  a  skin  of  some  sort  to  keep  out  the  cold. 
The  ai)i)roach  to  this  is  by  means  of  a  covered  hall-way,  as  it  were, 
which  answers  the  same  purpose  as  a  storm  door  in  use  in  cold  civil- 
ized countries.  The  summer  houses  would  be  only  partially  bullet 
proof,  while  the  true  barraboras  last  described  would  undoubtedly  re- 
sist the  passage  of  such  small  missiles.     But  if  anything  like  artillery' 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  107 

^vel■e  einployed  against  tlieiii  they  would  uecessarily  have  to  be  abaii- 
doiied. 

Tlie  villages  of  the  coast  tribes  are  generally  situated  uear  the  mouths 
of  rivers  or  iu  some  sheltered  bay  or  cove,  close  to  the  water,  thus  cou- 
venieutly  placed  for  tishiiig  and  comnmnicatiou  iu  their  boats.  Several 
tlilferent  varieties  of  canoe  or  boat  are  iu  use  among  them,  which  are 
used  according  to  what  is  to  be  accomplished  and  the  character  of  the 
water  near  their  villages. 

Along  the  river  a  strongly  built  and  well  braced  birch-bark  canoe  is 
used,  generally  of  such  a  size  as  to  accommodate  only  a  single  man, 
though  some  are  of  larger  build.  These  are  built  bj'  the  Ingakiks  liv- 
ing further  up  the  river,  and  traded  to  them  iu  exchange  for  seal  skins, 
oil,  walrus  hide  for  making  rope,  etc.  Besides  these  canoes  there  are 
other  varieties  peculiar  to  the  Innuits,  which  are  the  only  ones  used  by 
the  natives  who  dwell  iu  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  sea.  One  is  a 
regular  boat,  consisting  of  a  heavy  frame- work  of  wood  bound  together 
with  hide  and  covered  with  seal  skins,  which  are  carefully  prepared, 
nicely  oiled,  and  sewed  together;  the  other  is  of  smaller  build,  but 
constructed  on  the  same  principle,  except  that  it  is  everywhere  covered 
in  with  the  seal  skin,  only  a  single  hole  being  left  in  the  middle  for  the 
occupant.  The  former  is  known  by  the  Russians  as  a  bidarra,  and  is 
very  useful  in  carrying  freight,  etc.,  while  the  latter,  called  "  kyak"  by 
the  natives  themselves,  is  known  as  a  bidarka  among  the  Russiaus. 

A  modification  of  the  kyak  is  often  seen  copied,  it  is  said,  from  the 
Aleuts,  consisting  of  an  exactly  similar  construction,  but  with  two  or 
three  holes  for  the  accommodation  of  that  many  individuals.  Both 
varieties  are  extremely  serviceable,  especially  in  making  journeys  which 
are  not  prolonged,  for  after  some  service  the  skin  becomes  soaked  and 
the  boat  has  to  be  taken  out  of  the  water  and  allowed  to  dry.  (Consid- 
erable practice  is  required  to  even  sit  in  one  of  the  kyaks  without  turn- 
ing over,  but  to  one  accustomed  to  their  use  journeys  can  be  made  in 
the  roughest  kind  of  water,  and  a  very  fair  rate  of  speed  be  maintained 
without  extraordinary  exertion.  Both  a  single  and  double  bladed  pad- 
dle are  used  in  propelling  these  kyaks,  while  resort  is  often  had  to  a 
sail  when  traveling  in  the  bidarras. 

Many  wonderful  anecdotes  are  told  of  the  feats  of  seamanship  performed 
by  these  natives,  who  wear,  when  in  rough  water  or  when  it  rains,  a  water- 
proof shirt,  which  is  fastened  to  the  rim  of  the  hole  in  which  he  sits,  thus 
preventing  any  water  from  entering  the  canoe  Some  are  said  to  be  able 
to  turn  completely  over,  bottom  upwards,  and  right  themselves  by  means 
of  their  paddles.  Though  not  prepared  for  this  performance  they  are 
very  liable  to  be  drowned  on  account  of  their  feet  and  legs  being  con- 
fined in  the  boat,  as  happened  to  an  individual  who  was  rescued  from 
such  a  predicament  shortly  before  our  arrival  at  Saint  I\Iichaels, 

Stories  are  also  told  of  some  being  actually  thrown,  by  way  of  sport, 
rom  the  top  of  high  rocks  into  the  water,  and  by  a  skillful  use  of  the 


108  MIMTAKV    RECONNAISSANCK    IN    AF.ASKA. 

padillo  coming-  up  safclv  auaiii  oiilv  to  rcjx'at  tln'  pj'rforinaiice.  Their 
only  iiu-aiis  of  (•(•immuiicatioii  in  winter  is  l»y  sltMlsdiawn  l>y(l()«;s,  which 
are  able  to  travel  very  considerable  «listances  without  re(jnirin<;'  very 
much  t()o<l.  The  do^-  is  the  only  domestic?  animal  found  among  tliem, 
and,  as  is  seen,  he  answers  every  pur[)ose  for  which  a  draujjht  animal 
is  useful  anionjj  civilized  i)eople,  and  does  not  recpiire  any  (!ai-e  what- 
ever in  keeping;'. 

In  rejjjard  to  the  whole  number  of  natives  of  this  family  living  on  the 
Yukon  Iviver,  they  are  variously  estimated  by  different  authors;  one 
census  report  puts  the  number  at  l,33o,  whicdi  does  not  include  those 
living  within  the  «lelta  of  the  river.  Tiiis  is  approximately  true,  being 
somewhat  in  excess  of  the  actual  number  if  anything.  In  the  delta  proper 
there  are  probably  about  300  souls,  and  between  this  point  and  the 
furthest  village  of  the  Mahlemuts  there  are  undoubtedly  as  many  more. 
Among  these  those  cai)able  of  bearing  arms  are  provided  with  weapons 
of  some  descrii)tion.  The  gun  most  universally  seen  is  a  long,  double- 
barreled  shotgun  of  small  (;aliber,  in  whi<di  both  shot  aiid  bullet  may 
be  nsed,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  game  hunted. 

Along  the  Lower  Yukon  large  game  is  not  found  to  any  great  extent, 
r  indeer  and  bears  being  about  the  only  animals  hunted,  but  there  is 
the  greatest  quantity  of  water  fowl.  Ducks,  geese,  and  swans,  of  almost 
every  variety,  breed  all  along  the  river  in  fact,  but  the  delta  seems  to  be 
a  favorite  resort  for  the  geese,  which  are  killed  in  great  numbers,  and 
are  salted,  in  barrels,  by  the  white  residents,  for  winter  consumption. 
The  natives  relj'  almost  entirely  on  fish,  both  fresh  and  dried,  which 
furnishes  them  their  chief  article  of  food,  and  provision  is  made  for 
winter  by  storing  away  sufficient  quantities  of  the  dried  article  to  last 
the  season  through.  The  custom  prevails  among  the  river  natives  to 
bury  the  tish  and  allow  them  to  remain  there  until  sufficiently  putrid 
to  suit  their  taste,  when  they  are  eaten  wMth  a  great  deal  of  relish.  The 
coast  natives  vary  their  diet  of  fish  Avith  not  only  reindeer,  but  with  seal 
meat  and  oil. 

Walrus  are  not  found  in  any  numbers  along  this  portion  of  the  coast, 
so  that  no  reliance  is  ])lace<l  on  them  for  food.  The  beluga,  or  white 
whale,  is  killed  in  considerable  numbers  near  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon. 
This  is  a  small  whale,  which  enters  the  shallow  water  for  breeding  pur- 
poses, and  when  the  tide  falls  the  natives  attack  it.  and  secure  a  great 
many  witlutut  much  labor.  The  flesh  is  eaten,  and  the  oil  and  blubber 
also  preserved  for  food,  and  to  be  burned  in  their  rude  lamps,  which 
consist  of  a  small  open  vessel  containing  oil,  into  which  a  wick  of  moss 
or  cloth  is  dii)ped  and  a  light  applied.  The  amount  of  light  secured 
from  each  does  not  in  any  way  compare  with  the  brilliancy  of  a  tallow 
candle,  and  the  odor  which  is  generated  by  the  burning  oil  is  far  from 
agreeable,  especially  when  confined  to  the  close  limits  of  one  of  their 
underground  houses. 

These  tribes  have  no  chief  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term,  although 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  109 

there  are  individuals  ainoiig  them  who  exercise  more  or  less  influence 
through  accumulated  wealth  or  otherwise  without  necessarily  lieing  en- 
dowed with  the  si)iritnal  ])owers,  which  the  shamans  are  supposed  to 
possess.  With  no  real  head  they  have  not  the  unity  of  the  majority  of 
Indian  tribes;  consequently,  in  the  event  of  hostilities,  do  not  all  com- 
bine with  tlie  same  readiness. 

Many  superstitions  prevail  among  them,  and  the  utmost  confldence 
is  placed  in  the  sayings  and  i)redictions  of  the  shamans,  who  resort  to 
all  kinds  of  devices  in  the  way  of  sleigiit-of-hand  performances  to  make 
their  acts  more  mysterious.  As  a  compliment  to  one  of  these  indivi.l. 
uals,  he  was  asked  to  predict  Iiow  long-  we  would  have  to  wait  at  Saint 
MichaePs  redoubt  before  the  arrival  of  the  schooner  "  Leo."  The  reply 
was  made  that  if  on  a  certain  evening  we  would  go  to  the  village  he 
would  invoke  the  spiritual  aid  and  relieve  our  minds  of  any  anxiety. 
On  the  evening  in  question  we  assembled  at  the  "Casine,"  a  public 
building,  built  on  the  same  principle  as  the  dwelling-houses,  with  one 
of  which  every  village  is  provided,  and  after  many  of  the  natives  had 
seated  themselves  around  the  shaman,  accompanied  by  a  monotonous 
singing  and  drum  beating,  began  to  call  in  the  aid  of  the  spirits.  Finally 
when  everything  was  ready  a  small  blue  bead  was  taken,  crushed,  and 
sent  toward  the  schooner,  the  announcement  being  made  at  the  same 
time,  if  the  bead  returned  whole  the  vessel  had  been  reached.  A  bead 
was  resurrected  shortly  afterwards,  unfortunately  of  a  different  size  and 
shai)e,  which,  however,  was  not  observed  by  the  natives  present,  and 
the  answer  obtained  from  it  was  that  the  arrival  would  happen  before 
another  moon,  or  some  such  indetinite  and  Delphian-like  response. 
Several  other  tricks  were  performed  of  a  more  childish  nature  even;  so 
plain  were  they  in  fact  that  it  seems  really  incredible  that  the  simplest- 
minded  native  could  be  deceived  by  them. 

There  are  very  few  whites  dwelling  in  the  country  occupied  by  these 
tribes,  and  they  for  the  most  part  are  traders  who  are  emploj^ed  by  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company,  At  the  Mission,  a  village  on  the  river, 
only  a  short  distance  below  Anvik,  there  is  a  store  kept  by  an  Aleut, 
the  brother  of  the  Greek  priest,  who  had  a  church  here  as  well.  From 
this  point  supplies  are  obtained  by  all  the  natives  living  above  and  be- 
low on  the  river.  The  chief  articles  which  are  sought  after  in  trade  are 
tea  and  tobacco,  though  considerable  flour  is  also  sold,  and  many  other 
plain  articles  in  the  way  of  cloth,  cheap  hats,  &:c. 

The  only  sources  for  ammunition  are  the  different  stations  along  the 
river,  which,  in  the  event  of  any  difliculty  with  our  own  Government, 
would  be  denied  them.  Some  miles  below  the  mission  is  another  post, 
formerly  occupied  by  the  liussians,  which  is  known  as  Andreievsky. 
This  is  the  home  of  a  trader,  who  in  winter  has  been  accustomed  to  make 
long  journeys  among  the  different  villages,  about  the  Yukon  Deltn,  dis- 
posing of  various  articles  in  exchange  for  furs. 

Near  the  very  western  limit  of  the  Uphoon  mouth  is  Koatlik,  a  very 


110  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

small  villa{?o  iiuloed,  l)iit  the  homo  oiaii  old  Iiussiaii  who  has  the  usual 
amount  ortradiujj;  nuiterial.  About  70  miles  north  of  the  Uphoou  moutli, 
wliicli  is  the  one  generally,  if  not  always,  employed  by  the  whites,  is 
the  island  of  Saint  Michael's,  on  the  eastern  end  of  which  is  a  settle- 
ment of  the  sanu*  name,  establishe<l  by  the  Russians  in  IS.'i.'J.  The  site 
for  a  settlement  has  many  drawbacks,  lirst  and  foremost  the  lack  of 
water,  the  supply  being  brought  in  boats  from  the  mainland,  a  distance 
of  3  miles,  and  a  scarcity  of  fuel,  but  it  has  the  advantage  of  being  in  a 
sheltered  bay  and  the  nearest  point  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  which 
vessels  of  even  average  draught  can  approach  on  account  of  the  exten- 
sive shoal,  formed  by  deposits  brought  down  by  the  river.  This  place  is 
the  heaihiuarters  of  the  trading  company,  and  thedepot  of  all  supplies, 
guns,  ammunition,  &c.,  that  are  taken  into  the  river  and  disposed  of  to 
the  natives  living  along  the  coast  adjacent,  and  Avould  necessarily  be  an 
objective  point  were  the  motive  prompting  an  outbreak  one  of  robbery. 
The  natives,  as  a  rule,  are  very  kindly  dioposed  toward  the  whites,  and 
although  many  threatened  attacks  are  often  spoken  of,  none  of  late 
years  have  been  made.  These  are  generally  agitated  after  a  free  in- 
dulgence in  liquor,  which  is  occasionally  obtained  from  whalers  and 
other  vessels,  or  at  the  instigation  of  some  individual  whe  has  been 
thrashed  for  stealing  or  has  suffered  some  imaginary  wrong. 

In  1830  an  attack  was  made  on  the  post,  but  was  repulsed  without 
any  injury  being  accomplished  by  the  commander  of  the  fort.  The 
natives  indulging  in  this  were  the  Unaligmuts,  who,  with  the  Mahle- 
muts,  are  generally  a  worse  class  of  men  than  those  living  on  the  river, 
on  account  of  their  long  intercourse  with  unscrupulous  traders,  who 
make  every  attempt  to  obtain  the  greatest  quantity  in  exchange  for  the 
smallest  amount  of  the  vilest  liijuor  or  other  articles  equally  contra- 
band. 

Since  the  year  1855  it  is  said  that  not  a  single  white  man  has  been 
injured,  or  even  threatened,  by  the  natives  on  the  lower  river,  who 
certainly  do  manifest  a  spirit  of  abject  submission.  At  that  time  there 
was  a  considerable  Russian  settlement  at  Andreievsky  and  Ekogmut 
village  near  by,  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  employed  as 
workmen  at  the  station.  Several  of  the  whites  had  gone  on  a  journey 
up  the  river,  when  the  natives  attacked  the  place,  while  its  few  in- 
mates were  taking  the  customary  steam  or  hot-air  bath,  and  murdered 
them  as  they  came  out.  A  boy  escaped  and  finally  reached  Saint 
Michael's,  which  was  temporarily  in  charge  of  the  Russian  kogenikoff, 
previously  spoken  of  as  being  murdered  last  year  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Nulato.  He,  with  one  or  two  others,  set  out  immediately  in  a  small 
schooner  or  "barka,"  as  it  was  called,  for  the  scene  of  the  massacre 
provided  with  two  howitzers  loaded  with  scraps  of  iron,  nails,  &c.  He 
demanded  that  the  murderers  be  handed  over  or  he  would  fire  on  the 
village.  The  natives  showed  no  inclination  to  obey,  thinking  the  guns 
would  not  go  off,  but  were  soon  brought  to  a  realizing  sense  of  their 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  Ill 

error  by  the  discharge  of  the  guns,  which  killed  a  number.  The  Kus- 
sians,  not  satisfied  with  this,  are  said  to  have  attacked  the  remainder 
with  clubs,  and  to  have  killed  many  women  and  children.  The  result, 
though  hardly  justifying  the  means,  has  been  very  wonderful  and  of 
great  benefit  to  the  whites  who  may  have  occasion  to  enter  the  Terri- 
tory. 

As  far  as  a  universal  outbreak  is  concerned,  such  an  event  could  not 
well  occur,  as  there  is  not  sutiicient  union  among  members  of  any  tribe 
to  occasion  it,  nor  are  there  whites  enough  in  the  country'  to  justify  it. 

In  the  event  of  troops  entering  the  country,  necessarily  by  sea,  for 
the  punishment  of  outrages  by  members  of  tribes,  it  is  more  than  likely 
that  the  offenders  would  be  im mediately"  given  uj),  or,  if  not,  no  other 
tribe  would  be  willing  to  bear  any  portion  of  the  blame,  and  certainly 
would  not  unite  with  them  as  allies. 

The  only  unusual  campaign  supplies  would  be  boats,  and  if  a  winter 
sojourn  were  made  native  garments  would  be  required. 

AI.EUTIANS. 

Under  this  heading  is  considered  a  large  family,  differing  in  many  re- 
spects from  any  before  spoken  of,  which  occupies  the  grouj)  of  islands 
extending  to  the  westward  from  the  Alaska  peninsula,  and  forming  a 
boundary,  as  it  were,  between  Bering  Sea  and  the  Pacific  Ocean.  There 
are  one  or  two  settlements  on  the  peninsula  itself;  and  the  Pribylov 
group,  comprising  the  islands  of  Saint  Paul  and  Saint  George,  also  is 
inhabited  by  members  of  this  same  family. 

In  a  military  sense  their  consideration  is  of  little  importance,  for  they 
are  more  than  half  civilized,  about  a  fifth  of  their  whole  number  being 
half  breeds  while  many  others  have  necessarily  more  or  less  white  blood 
in  their  veins.  They  are,  however,  connected  with  the  most  lucrative  and 
chief  commercial  interests  of  the  entire  Territory,  namely,  the  fur  seal 
and  sea  otter,  and  being  met  with  on  our  returning  by  sea  will  be  spoken 
of  in  this  connection  as  completing  the  various  different  tribes  living  in 
the  country  which  we  met. 

The  word  '•  Aleut"  is  of  obscure  origin,  not  belonging,  it  is  said,  to  their 
language,  but  derived  from  some  other  dialect,  how  or  when  it  first 
came  into  use  being  unknown.  The  name  formerly  used  by  themselves 
in  being  translated  signifies  "  men  of  the  east."  Among  all  of  the  tribes 
throughout  the  Territory  of  Alaska  this  one  family  has  not  only  been 
longer  in  direct  intercourse  with  white  men,  but  has  been  more  throuoghly 
changed  from  their  original  condition  than  any  others.  Before  the  arrival 
of  the  Eussiaus  among  them  they  are  said  to  have  been  full  of  life  and 
spirit,  and  fond  of  all  sorts  of  enjoyments;  whereas  now  on  account  of  the 
cruel  treatment  to  which  they  were  subjected,  being  looked  upon  and 
treated  as  mere  slaves,  their  spirit  seems  broken  and  their  character 
completely  changed.     With  all  this  came  likewise  a  complete  change  in 


112  MILITAHY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

habits  ami  custoiiKs  and  ivlij^ion  even,  for  they  are  said  to  have  liad  cer- 
tain ceremonies  which  lesembhMl  a  relijiion  more  eh)sel.v  than  that  of 
any  other  tribes.  Their  condition  indeed  is  bettered  no  donbt  by  the 
civilizinji:  inflneuces,  bnt  the  same  resnlt  might  have  been  accomplished 
by  less  heroic  measures.  They  were  savages  undoubtedly  before  their 
tirst  intercourse  with  tlie  Kussians,  and  had  manners  and  habits,  which 
could  not  be  considered  otherwise,  as  for  instance,  their  dwellings. 
These  were  built  entirely  under  ground  and  of  a  suflicient  capacity  to 
accommodate  as  many  as  two  hundred  or  more  people,  families  being 
divided  oft"  from  each  other  by  means  of  very  rude  partitions.  Entrance 
was  effected  thnmgh  the  roof,  by  means  of  ladders,  one  house  being 
provided  with  several  such  uieaus  of  entry.  IJeing  so  protected  from 
the  wind  and  cold,  these  houses  were  necessarily  very  warn),  so  confined 
in  fact  that  no  clothes  were  required,  and  the  inhabitants  are  said  to 
have  gone  about  for  the  most  part  entirely  naked.  Their  food  consisted 
of  fish  of  various  kinds,  flesh  of  the  seal  ami  sea  otter,  whale  blubber, 
sea-weed,  wild  parsnips,  different  sorts  of  berries,  &c. 

Certain  records  and  legends  of  the  liussiaus  and  the  people  them- 
selves would  tend  to  show  that  they  numbered  at  one  time  as  many  as 
25,000  souls,  which  is  probably  a  too  high  au  estimate,  the  best  authori- 
ties considering  that  at  no  time  could  they  have  numbered  more  than 
10,000  at  the  most.  Their  many  dances  and  peculiar  festivals,  as  de- 
scribed by  Bruiaminov,  a  very  earnest  and  hard-working  Russian 
bishop,  are  especially  interesting,  inasmuch  as  all  the  masks  and 
other  relics  used  in  their  celebration  have  been  destroyed,  whenever 
found,  by  the  Russian  priest,  so  that  now  the  object  or  idea  involved  is 
more  or  less  wrapped  in  obscurity.  The  Aleut  is  of  average  size,  per- 
haps rather  below  the  medium,  with  au  expression  of  countenance  gen- 
erally described  as  pertaining  to  the  Japanese.  The  complexion  is  of 
light  brown,  hair  black  and  coarse,  and  the  beard  generally  scanty. 
As  a  general  thing  their  chests  and  arms  are  well  i)roportioned,  while 
their  legs,  from  the  i)osition  which  they  assume  so  constantly  in  their 
skin  boats,  are  often  somewhat  curved.  They  are  willing  to  work,  and, 
excei)t  when  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  the  desire  for  which  is  one 
of  their  failings,  they  are  mild,  good-tempered,  and  in  every  respect 
pleasant  to  have  dealings  with.  Though  much  addicted  to  the  use  of 
liquor,  and  as  a  general  thing  craving  it  on  all  occasions,  crimes  of  a 
serious  nature  are  of  very  rare  occurrence,  and  that  of  murder  is  scarcely 
known.  Formerly  the  number  of  wives  w^as  not  lin)ited,  the  most  in- 
fluential and  respected  (and  they  were  the  best  hunters)  having  the 
greatest  number.  Their  ideas  of  anything  like  marriage,  as  is  the 
case  with  almost  all  the  Innuit  tribes  as  well,  were  very  crude,  and  the 
wife  or  wives  were  generally  at  the  disposal  of  visitors  or  guests.  At 
the  present  time  they  have  only  one  wife,  and  they  live  together  with 
their  families  in  separate  houses.  In  settlements  where  there  are  white 
people  dwelling  as  well,  small  huts  of  civilized  build  are  generally  used, 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  115 

tliougli  the  barrabara  or  underground  house  is  very  much  in  use,  espr 
cially  iu  remote  villages. 

Their  original  native  dress  is  described  as  consisting  of  a  coat  or  parka, 
made  with  tight  sleeves,  and  sutticiently  long  to  reach  below  the  knees, 
of  some  sort  of  fur  or  bird  skins,  ^o  trousers  were  worn,  but  the  boots 
came  up  to  tlie  knees.  In  wet  weather  a  sort  of  water-proof  shirt,  made 
of  the  intestines  of  the  sea  lion,  is  still  worn  by  them.  Besides  this  last- 
mentioned  garment,  the  original  native  dress  has  everywhere  been  dis- 
carded and  civilized  clothes  adopted,  except  iu  a  few  instances,  where 
the  poverty  of  the  individual  will  not  admit  of  such  an  expenditure. 
This  is  especially  the  case  at  those  villages  where  the  whites  have  set- 
tled. And  as  it  is  through  the  efibrts  of  the  natives  that  the  fur-bear- 
ing animals  are  secured,  every  aid  and  encouragement  possible  is  given 
them. 

Schools  were  established  among  them  years  ago  by  certain  Russian 
priests  who  were  more  earnest  in  their  w^ork  than  some  others,  so 
that  some  few  learned  to  read  and  write.  Bishop  Vruiaminov  made 
an  Aleutian  grammer,and  through  this  means  many  have  been  partially- 
educated.  Of  late  years,  though  several  educated  members  of  their  own 
family  have  been  admitted  into  the  priesthood,  no  very  rapid  strides 
have  been  made  in  the  way  of  education.  The  inordinate  desire  for  al- 
coholic stimulants  of  some  sort,  as  stated  before,  has  been  their  very 
worst  fault  and  the  greatest  drawback  toward  their  making  more  rapid 
progress  in  the  right  direction. 

The  introduction  of  liquor  of  any  sort  is  prohibited,  consequently  in 
order  to  properly  celebrate  festive  occasions  resort  has  to  be  had  to  a 
decoction  of  domestic  manufacture.  This  is  made  from  sugar  as  a  prin- 
cipal ingredient,  with  the  addition  of  flour,  and  hops  if  they  can  obtain 
them.  The  whole  is  placed  in  a  barrel,  tightly  closed  and  then  allowed 
to  ferment.  As  the  drink  resulting  is  only  made  when  required,  time 
is  not  allowed  for  the  fermentation  to  be  completed,  but  they  consume 
it  just  as  quick  as  the  proper  strength  is  attained,  with  all  its  horrible 
taste. 

When  an  individual  returns  from  a  successful  hunt  he  purchases 
whatever  articles  he  may  need  in  the  way  of  food  and  clothing,  and 
then  invites  his  friends  in  to  partake  of  his  hospitality,  in  the  form  of 
this  home  made  beverage.  This  is  the  occasion  of  a  big  spree,  which  • 
invariably  terminates  with  violent  disputes,  though,  as  stated  before, 
it  is  said  that  there  is  not  a  single  instance  recorded  of  a  life  being  lost 
or  of  any  one  sulfering  severe  bodily  injury,  except  as  a  result  of  a  fre- 
quent repetition  of  the  same  dissipation,  and  the  exposure  consequent 
upon  having  their  sensations  so  blunted  as  to  fail  to  protect  themselves 
against  the  weather. 

The  chief  article  of  food  of  the  people  is  undoubtedly  fish ;  the  va- 
rious kinds,  such  as  cod,  halibut,  salmon,  and  trout,  being  obtained  as 
they  come  in  season.     Besides  these  there  are  many  water-fowl  and 
S.  Ex.  2 8 


114  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

ebell-tish  as  well,  wUicU  serve  to  vary  their  diet.  Many  articles  of  food 
are  also  obtained  from  traders,  such  as  tea,  hard  bread,  flour,  sugar,  and 
other  little  neessarie.s,  and  these  have  been  so  long;  in  use  that  the  peo- 
l)le  would  find  it  very  embarrassing  to  do  without  them  now. 

The  eountry  inhabited  by  these  people  consists,  as  i)reviously  stated, 
of  a  long  chain  of  islands  extending  out  into  the  open  sea  far  to  the 
westward  of  the  mainland  of  America.  The  islands  vary  in  size,  but 
resemble  each  other  in  their  very  mountainous  character.  All  are  un- 
doubtedly of  volcanic  origin,  on  several  of  which  there  are  craters, 
whii'h  are,  at  the  present  time,  considered  as  active.  The  various  set- 
tlements of  the  people  are  scattered  throughout  the  group  of  islands,  the 
most  western  of  all  being  Chichagov,  on  the  island  of  Attoo.  In  for- 
mer times  this  village  was  very  prosperous,  but  is  now  one  of  the  poor- 
est, in  a  i)ecuniary  view,  of  all  the  settlements,  on  account  of  the  gradual 
falling  off  in  numbers  of  the  sea  otter.  This  animal  which  furnishes  the 
beautiful  and  very  expensive  fur,  was  originally  caught  in  great  num- 
bers in  the  vicinity  of  Attoo,  and  as  the  exchange  of  its  skin  for  neces- 
sary articles  was  the  only  means  of  living  to  the  n  atives,  they  have 
consiMiuently  suffered,  having  no  other  resource  to  fall  back  on.  Had 
it  not  been  that  they  are  amply  supplied  by  nature  with  the  actual 
necessities  of  life  in  the  way  of  food,  such  as  different  kinds  of  fish, 
starvation  would  have  been  imminent.  The  capture  and  sale  of  the  sea 
otter  skins  being  one  of  the  utmost  importance  to  this  section  of  coun- 
try, the  means  of  taking  them  is  very  interesting,  as  sho  wing  a  promi- 
nent trait  in  the  Aleutian  character  as  well,  namely',  unseltishness. 

The  animal  is  generally  found  on  certain  banks  some  distance  from 
the  land,  and  is  hunted  by  a  number  attacking  him  on  different  sides. 
They  start  out  in  their  skin  boats  with  provisions  sufficient  to  last  them 
for  several  days,  and  when  arriving  at  the  place  generally  frequented 
})y  the  otter,  a  long  line  is  made  of  boats,  and  a  slow  and  quiet  advance 
is  made.  When  the  animal  is  discovered,  either  asleep  or  quietly  swim- 
ming about  with  his  nose  just  above  the  water,  an  effort  is  made  to  sur- 
round him,  so  that  in  coming  up  after  diving  he  may  come  within  the 
circle  of  boats.  Spears  are  the  weapons  used  against  them,  as  it  is 
thought  the  tiring  of  guns  would  frighten  them  away  entirely.  It  is 
rarely  the  case  that  the  first  wound  kills  him;  but  the  animal  soon  be- 
comes tired  out  with  the  continuous  diving,  and  is  then  readily  secured. 

In  illustration  of  the  unselfishness  of  the  Aleut  it  has  been  the  custom 
to  give  the  skin  to  the  man  who  strikes  the  first  blow,  so  that  after  this 
the  others  can  have  no  interest,  but  nevertheless  devote  themselves  in- 
defatigably  in  trying  to  secure  the  prey.  If  it  cannot  be  determined 
about  the  time  of  the  first  blow  the  one  hitting  nearest  the  head  obtains 
the  prize,  and  if  they  are  of  equal  distance,  the  one  on  the  right  is 
granted  the  skin. 

Between  the  islands  of  Attoo  and  Atkha,  where  the  next  settlement 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  115 

now  stands,  there  were  formerly  several  on  the  different  islands  inter- 
veningf,  but  these  now  have  all  been  abandoned. 

The  island  of  Atkha  was  originalh'  a  boundary  line  between  two  so- 
called  divisions  of  this  tribe,  which  at  present,  on  account  of  the  ad- 
mixture of  Russian  blood  and  other  causes,  do  not  exist;  the  chief  dis- 
tinction in  former  times  was  a  difference  of  dialect,  there  being  certain 
terminations  and  words  not  common  to  both.  This  must  have  been 
quite  marked,  for  the  originator  of  the  grammar,  previously  spoken  of, 
was  obliged  to  form  two,  one  for  use  among  the  residents  about  Oon- 
alaska  and  the  other  for  the  Atkhans. 

Quite  a  large  settlement  is  found  on  the  island  of  Atkha,  and  the 
inhabitants  are  i^rosperous  in  consequence  of  the  number  of  sea  otter 
captured  annually  in  their  neighborhood,  being  thus,  as  it  were,  wealthy. 
They  buy  many  articles  of  the  traders  and  indulge  in  many  of  the  civ- 
ilized luxuries,  such  as  clothes,  &c.  Among  other  industries,  besides 
being  considered  the  best  and  most  successful  hunters  after  the  otter, 
they  are  said  not  only  to  surpass  every  other  settlement  of  this  family, 
but  every  other  race  in  the  world  in  the  manufacture  of  various  baskets 
and  ornaments  out  of  grasses. 

During  the  occupation  of  the  Russians  Atkha  was  a  place  of  consid- 
erable importance  as  a  central  point,  but  since  the  transfer  of  the  Ter- 
ritory, other  interests  have  made  a  change  necessary. 

The  next  settlement  to  the  eastward  is  situated  on  Oomnak  Island, 
and  is  known  as  Nikolsky.  The  inhabitants  devote  themselves  chiefly 
to  hunting  the  sea-otter;  they  are  generally  quite  successful,  and  in 
consequence  prosperous. 

Proceeding  in  the  same  direction,  Oonalaska  Island  is  next  met  with, 
the  largest  and  in  many  respects  the  most  important  of  the  entire  group, 
inasmuch  as  on  the  northern  shore,  in  a  very  beautiful  inlet  called  Cap- 
tain's Harbor,  is  situated  Ilinlink,  or  Oonalaska,  the  headquarters  of  all 
the  commercial  interests  of  this  part  of  the  world.  There  is  a  settlement 
here  of  about  four  hundred  people,  which  includes  a  school-house, 
church,  residence  of  the  priest,  custom  house,  traders'  warehouses  and 
dwellings,  and  many  frame  buildings,  erected  for  the  use  of  the  natives, 
besides  numerous  barraboras.  Here  is  seen  almost  every  sign  of  civil- 
ized improvements,  and  among  other  things  the  novel  sight  of  domestic 
cattle  was  i)resented  to  us. 

The  climate  is  by  no  means  severe  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and 
sufficient  grass  is  found  almost  all  the  year  through  to  support  stock 
of  any  sort.  The  natives  in  the  vicinity  are  very  much  improved  by 
long  intercourse  with  the  whites,  and  it  is  said  that  almost  half  their 
number  are  able  to  read  and  write — the  Aleutian  language  principally. 

Besides  this  large  settlement  there  are  several  others  of  less  impor- 
tance, chiefly  on  the  northwestern  coast.  The  island  being  so  indented 
and  cut  up  with  bays  and  inlets  affords  ample  space  for  numerous  ex- 
cellent village  sites.     Makushin,  Koshigin,  and  Cheruovsky,  three  small 


116  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

villay:cs  to  the  west  of  lliuliiik,  are  closely  allied  iu  interests,  as  sending 
out  each  season  hnnters  along  with  those  from  the.  last-named  place. 
The  natives  are  conveyed  on  one  of  the  company's  vessels  to  Sannakh 
Island,  which  is  the  principal  resort  for  the  otter,  and  when  the  season 
is  over  again  brought  back  to  their  homes. 

To  the  south  of  ( )onalaska  is  a  small  island,  on  which  is  the  settlement 
of  Borka,  wliose  inhabitants  are  considered  the  neatest,  most  orderly, 
and  cleanest  of  the  whole  family.  This  condition  of  affairs  is  said  to  be 
due  to  the  inlluence  of  an  old  Kussian  trader  and  his  wife,  who  have 
lived  among  them  for  some  time  and  set  them  this  good  example. 

lietween  Oonalaska  and  Oonimak  Island  on  the  east  there  is  a  pass 
generally  resorted  to  by  vessels  in  going  north.  This  is  sufticiently  wide 
and  deep,  but  on  account  of  numerous  small  islands  and  the  great  rate 
at  which  the  tide  rushes* through  vessels  are  often  thrown  in  great 
danger,  especially  when  wind  and  tide  are  opposite.  In  the  vicinity  of 
this  i)ass  are  the  settlements  of  Akutan,  Akoou,  and  Avatanak.  Each 
is  situated  on  an  island  of  the  same  name. 

An  industry  among  the  inhabitants,  besides  hunting  the  sea-otter, 
is  the  capturing  of  the  sea-lion,  the  hide  of  which  is  used  in  making  the 
bidarkas. 

The  next  settlements  are  in  close  proximity  to  the  peninsula  of  Aliaska, 
being  distributed  among  the  different  small  islands,  principally  along 
the  southern  coast.  The  largest  is  called  Belkoosky,  situated  on  the 
peninsula  and  iu  close  proximity  to  the  best  seaotter  grounds  found 
throughout  this  region.  The  other  villages  in  order  of  size  are  Ounga 
Protassov,  Korovinsky,  Nikolaievsky,  and  Vosnessensky.  Almost  the 
sole  industry  is  the  capture  of  the  sea-otter,  which  is  obtained  in  such 
uun)bers  as  to  make  the  inhabitants  too  luxurious,  so  that  almost  all 
their  earnings  are  sciuandered  as  soon  as  obtained. 

Directly  north  of  the  island  of  Oonalaska,  a  distance  of  about  200 
miles,  is  situated  the  Prybilov  group,  consisting  of  the  islands  of  Saint 
George  and  Saint  Paul.  These  are  inhabited  by  members  of  the  Aleu- 
tian tribe,  and  their  chief  occupation  is  in  connection  with  the  capture 
of  the  fur-seal.  All  rights,  privileges,  «&c.,  in  regard  to  the  taking  of 
this  animal  on  these  islands  are  under  the  control  of  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company,  Avho,  in  turn,  are  restricted  both  in  the  methods  em- 
ployed and  the  number  annually  killed,  agents  are  employed  to  carry 
out  the  laws  of  the  Government  in  this  respect,  although  the  interests 
of  the  company  are  so  closely  linked  with  the  killing  of  a  judicious  num- 
ber that  in  reality  the  cori)oration  becomes  its  own  guard.  The  limit 
of  the  law  is  100,000  young  males,  but  as  the  demand  of  the  market 
will  not  always  justify  this  amount,  the  number  actually  killed  falls  con- 
siderably below  this  each  year. 

The  natives  living  on  these  islands  have  become  very  civilized,  and 
have  adopted  many  of  the  improvements  of  modern  life.  Their  villages 
are  laid  out  iu  streets,  and  besides  the  school-house,  church,  and  other 


J 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  117 

buildings,  consist  principally  of  cottages,  which  have  taken  the  place, 
to  a  great  extent,  of  the  barraboras,  ami  a  fair  condition  of  neatness 
everywhere  prevails.  It  is  said  that  the  natives  now  living  there  are 
descendants  of  those  formerly  brought  from  the  Aleutian  group  proper 
by  the  Russians  to  conduct  their  seal  interests,  as  the  Prybilov  Islands 
were  originally  uninhabited.  From  constant  practice  and  training  from 
their  very  youth  the  capture  of  the  seal  and  skinning  and  preserving 
of  the  skins  have  been  reduced  hx  them  to  almost  a  science,  so  that 
were  the  whites  deprived  of  their  aid  considerable  embarrassment 
would  be  occasioned. 

In  regard  to  the  entire  number  of  people  included  under  this  head- 
ing they  have  been  estimated  at  1,890.  This  does  not  include  the  half- 
breeds  or  Creoles,  as  ihey  are  called,  who  of  themselves  are  numbered 
at  479.  Their  entire  number  has  slowly  decreased  since  the  advent  of 
the  whites  and  the  introduction  of  intoxicating  liquors. 

On  account  of  the  dampness  of  the  climate,  though  never  very  cold, 
many  of  the  adults  die  in  the  winter  of  pneumonia,  brought  on  by  ex- 
posure; and  the  various  other  lung  diseases  are  especially  prevalent 
among  the  children. 

In  regard  to  communication  between  the  different  islands,  their  only 
means,  except  through  the  aid  of  the  whites,  is  their  skin  boats,  which 
are  the  only  kind  used.  These,  like  those  in  use  among  the  luuuits, 
consist  of  a  frame  work  of  some  light  wood  securely  bound  together 
with  thongs,  and  everywhere  covered  in  with  dressed  skin  of  the  sea- 
lion,  a  hole  being  left  in  the  center  large  enough  to  accommodate  the 
occupant.  Some  are  built  with  two  or  three  holes,  and  resemble 
the  one  previously  described,  except  in  the  number  of  occupants  they 
are  able  to  contain.  These  bidarkas,  as  they  are  called  by  the  Rus- 
sians, are  very  light,  and  are  propelled  with  great  ease  and  at  a  consid- 
erable rate  of  speed  by  means  of  paddles  with  a  single  or  double  blade, 
according  to  the  fancy  of  the  individual. 

As  stated  at  the  beginning  of  this  description,  the  Aleuts  are  of  little 
importance  in  a  military  sense,  as  the  question  of  active  hostilities  is 
one  which  will  probably  never  come  up,  simply  on  account  of  the  nature 
of  the  race.  They  were  so  long  under  the  sway  of  the  Russians  and 
were  so  completely  subdued  that  now  no  indignity  could  be  put  upon 
them  sufBcieutly  harsh  to  occasion  serious  resistance. 

The  men  are,  as  a  rule,  well  provided  with  arms  of  some  description. 
Those  most  frequently  observed  are  a  double-barreled  shotguu,  of  small 
caliber,  in  which  shot  or  a  bullet  may  be  used.  Should  it  ever  become 
necessary  to  carry  on  a  campaign  against  this  people  troops  would 
necessarily  have  to  be  brought  to  the  country  in  vessels,  and  as  the 
villages  for  the  most  part  are  situated  in  the  deep  and  sheltered  inlets, 
a  very  near  approach  can,  in  almost  every  instance,  be  effected.  Noth- 
ing in  the  way  of  unusual  supplies  would  be  needed,  except,  perhaps,  a 
number  of  small  boats,  which  would  be  greatly  aided  by  a  small  steam 


118  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

launch  as  well.  Very  few  of  the  houses  are  substantial  enough  to  re- 
sist tlie  passajje  of  bullets,  and  should  heavier  missiles  be  employed 
their  destnietion  would  be  only  a  matter  of  a  short  time. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  REPORT. 

Vancouver  Barracks,  Washington  Territory, 

May  12,  1884. 
After  a  careful  arrangement  of  the  data  on  the  topography  of  the 
country  passed  through,  with  special  reference  to  the  bouiulary  line 
between  tlie  Territory  of  Alaska  and  British  America,  it  has  been  deter- 
mined that  the  main  village  of  one  tribe,  Klat-olklin,  supposed  to  be 
in  Alaska,  is  situated  withiu  the  English  possessions;  consequently  that 
tribe  will  not  be  included  in  the  following  summary  of  the  names  and 
members  of  the  tribes  met  with  in  this  portion  of  the  United  States: 

Tongas,  about 600 

Cape  Fox,  about 250 

Stickeens,  about 800 

Sitkas,  about 1 ,  000 

Ilootznahoo,  about 700 

Hoonahs,  about 700 

Auks,  about 700 

Cbilkats,  about 980 

Tadoosh,  about 50 

Fort  Yukons,  about 100 

Tananabs,  about 500 

Ingalik  tribes,  about 1,350 

Inuuit  tribes,  about 1,900 

Aleuts,  about 1,890 

11,520 

Only  those  Innnits  living  along  the  Y'ukon  River  within  the  delta  and 
northward  along  the  coast  to  near  the  Oonalakleet  River  are  included 
in  this  list,  and  about  400  half  breeds  (Aleut  and  Russian  living  on  the 
Aleutian  group  are  also  excluded. 

The  whole  number  of  natives  met  with  is,  therefore,  about  11,520. 
The  tribes  met  with  along  the  river  east  of  the  boundary  are  : 

Tabkeesh 50 

Ayans 200 

Takons 100 

Klatolklins 100 

Concerning  the  last  named  tribe  it  may  be  stated  that  their  village  is 
but  a  short  distance  from  the  boundary  line  as  determined,  and  that  the 
trading  station  about  a  mile  further  down  the  river,  and  now  abandoned, 
is  within  the  Territory  of  Alaska. 
Respectfully  submitted. 

GEO.  F.  WILSON, 
First  Lieutenant  and  Assistant  iSurgeon,  United  States  Army. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  119 


APPENDIX. 

Headquarters  Department  of  the  Columbia, 

Vancouver  Barracks,  Washington  Territory,  April  7, 1883. 
First  Lieut.  Fred.  ScH^YATKA, 

Third  Cavalry,  Aid- de- Camp  ; 

Sir  :  In  view  of  the  frequent  reports  of  the  disturbance  of  the  peace 
between  the  whites  and  Indians  in  Alaska,  and  the  indications  that  the 
present  condition  of  atiairs  must  lead  to  serious  hostilities  between  the 
two  elements  in  the  near  future,  you  are  hereby  directed  to  proceed  to 
that  Territory  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  all  information  that  can  be 
obtained  that  would  be  valuable  and  important,  especially  to  the  mili- 
tary branch  of  the  Government. 

You  will  ascertain  as  far  as  practicable  the  number,  character,  and 
disposition  of  all  natives  living-  in  that  Territory,  how  subdivided  into 
tribes  or  bauds,  the  section  of  country  they  inhabit,  their  relations  to 
each  other,  and  especially  their  disposition  toward  the  Eussian  Govern- 
ment in  the  past,  and  the  feeling  that  exists  among  them  towards  the 
present  Government  and  the  white  people  that  are  making  their  way 
into  that  Territory. 

You  will  further  examine  and  ascertain  their  modes  of  life  and  means 
of  communication  from  one  part  of  the  country  to  the  other,  the  amount 
and  kind  of  weapons  of  war  in  their  possession,  and  from  where  ob- 
tained. 

You  will  further  obtain  such  information  as  jjracticable  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  country  and  the  best  means  of  using  and  sustaining  a  mili- 
tary force,  if  one  should  be  needed  in  that  Territory. 

Y''ou  will  make  especial  inquiry  as  to  the  kind  and  extent  of  the  native 
grasses  that  would  sustain  animals  ordinarily  used  in  military  opera- 
tions, also  the  character  of  the  climate,  especially  inland,  the  severity 
of  the  winters,  and  any  other  information  that  would  be  important  to 
the  military  service. 

Y"ou  will  endeavor  to  impress  the  natives  with  the  friendly  disposi- 
tion of  the  Government,  and  in  no  case  will  you  move  in  any  section  of 
the  country  where  you  cannot  go  without  provoking  hostilities  or  in- 
citing the  natives  to  resistance,  as  you  are  not  authorized  to  exercise 
any  control  of  affairs  in  that  Territory. 

You  will  consider  this  duty  especial  and  confidential,  making  your 
reports  to  me,  accompanied  as  full  as  possible  with  itineraries,  maps, 
traces,  and  field-notes. 

Asst.  Surg.  George  F.  Wilson,  and  four  enlisted  men,  will  be  directed 
to  report  to  jou,  and  such  Indian  scouts  as  may  be  hereafter  authorized. 


120  MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA. 

Voii  ;uv  ;intliori/A'cl  to  employ  iiu  interpreter  wlien  needed,  and  you 
will  exeirise  strict  economy  in  yonr  necessary  expenditures. 

In  nudvin<;  yonr  investisiition  you  will  endeavor  to  complete  all  iiilbr- 
niation  in  each  section  of  the  country  before  proceeding  to  another,  in 
order  that,  should  time  not  permit  yonr  full  completion  of  this  work,  it 
may  be  taken  up  the  following  season. 

The  chiefs  of  the  several  staff  departments  at  these  headquarters 
will,  on  presentation  of  this  letter  of  instructions,  furnish  you  with  the 
means  and  necessary  equipments  to  enable  you  to  accomplish  the  duty 
assigned  you. 

Upon  completion  of  this  duty  you  will  return  to  these  headquarters. 
Very  respectfully,  jour  obedient  servant, 

NELSON  A.  MILES, 
Brigadivr-  General^  Commanding. 

[First  indorseraeut.]  ' 

Headquarters  Department  of  the  Columbia, 
Vancouver  Barracls,  WaHhmtjton  Territory,  May  dth,  1884. 
Kespectfully  referred  (through  Lieutenant  Schwatka)  to  Asst.  Surg. 
George  F.  Wilson  ;  the  department  commander  calls  upon  Dr.  Wilson 
to  report  as  near  as  practicable  from  the  data  furnished  in  this  re- 
port and  from  any  informaiion  he  may  have,  the  names  and  numbers 
of  such  of  the  Indians  within  referred  to  as  are  inhabitants  of  the 
United  States  Territory  of  Alaska,  and  to  locate  as  nearly  as  he  can  on 
a  map  of  that  Territory,  to  be  furnished  by  the  chief  engineer  officer  of 
the  Department,  their  places  of  habitual  abode. 
By  order  of  Brigadier-General  Miles. 

O.  D.  GREENE, 
Assistant  Adjutant- General. 

[Second  indorsement.] 

Headquarters  Department  of  the  Columbia, 

Vancouver  Barracks,  Washinyton  Territory. 
EespectfuUy  referred  to  Asst.  Surg.  George  F.  Wilson.    Attention 
called  to  preceding  indorsement. 

FEED'K  SCHWATKA, 
First  Lieutenant  Third  Cavalry. 

[Tliird   indorsement. J 

Vancouver  Barracks,  May  12,  1884. 
Respectfully  returned  to  the  assistant  adjutant- general  Department 
Columbia  (through  Lieutenant  Schwatka),  inviting  attention  to  the  sup- 
plementary report,  marked  such,  and  transmitted  herewith. 

GEO.  F.  WILSON, 
Assistant  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCE    IN    ALASKA.  121 

[Fourth  indorsement.] 

Headquarters  Department  of  the  Columbia, 

Vancouver  Barracks,,  May  15,  1884. 

Eospoctfully  forwarded  to  division  headquarters. 

Ui)oii  being  assigned  to  this  command,  I  found  tbat  the  Territory  of 
Ahiska,  although  embraced  within  the  geographical  limits  of  this  De- 
l>artnu'iir,  with  an  area  of  577,31)0  square  miles,  was  practically  an  un- 
explored and  unknown  country,  but  little  being  known  of  its  topograph- 
ical l'e;ttnres,  number  and  character  of  its  inhabitants,  its  resources, 
or  its  climate. 

On  November  2, 1881, 1  forwarded  a  communication  recommending  a 
special  appropriation  from  Congress  of  $G8,000  to  explore  this  Territory. 

Although  the  bill  to  that  eftect  was  introduced  into  the  United  States 
Senate  it  failed  to  become  a  law,  and  (»n  the  3d  of  April,  1883, 1  sent  one 
of  my  aids-decamp.  Lieutenant  Schwatka,  with  Assistant  Surgeon 
Wilson,  Topographical  Assistant  Homan,  and  three  enlisted  men,  to 
Alaska  to  obtain  information  regarding  the  interior  of  that  Territory 
under  instructions  contained  in  letter  of  7th  of  April,  1883  (appended). 

The  accompanying  report  is  the  result  of  this  reconnaissance,  and 
contains  much  information,  especially  regarding  the  section  visited,  the 
character  of  the  country,  and  its  inhabitants. 

That  part  of  the  report  which  embraces  a  survey  of  a  portion  of 
British  America,  with  description  of  the  same,  was  not  called  for  by 
the  letter  of  instructions,  and  the  publication  of  so  much  of  the  sub- 
stance of  this  report  as  has  appeared  in  various  newspapers  and  maga- 
zines of  the  country,  prior  to  its  being  submitted  to  the  military  author- 
ities, has  been  disapproved. 

With  these  exceptions  the  reconnaissance  has  been  successful,  satis- 
factory, and  accomplished  at  little  expense,  and  the  report  is  interest- 
ing and  valuable,  and  contributes  an  important  chapter  to  the  descrip- 
tive history  of  that  remote  and  extensive  country-. 

Lieutenant  Schwatka  and  his  assistants  are  entitled  to  much  credit 
for  the  energy  and  zeal  disi)layed  in  overcoming  apparently  insur- 
mountable obstacles  in  their  long,  hazardous,  and  laborious  journey. 

NELSON  A.  MILES, 
Brigadier-General,  Commanding. 

Fifth  indorsement.] 

Headquarters  Division  of  the  Pacific, 

Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  California,  July  26,  1884. 

Kespectfully  forwarded  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  Army. 

JNO.  POPE, 
Major- General,  Com manding. 
Official  copy. 

E.  C.  DEUM,  Adjutant- General. 
Ad  jut  ats^t -General's  Office, 

Kovemher  4,  1884. 
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14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

EAr.TM  CCICNCEG  LIDRARY 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

Renewed  books  are  subjert  to  immediate  recall. 

[i^^^^A 

1 

b^^^r^:^ 

M.A^f— -^ 

UI^9.^  1973 

r/rAY  17  1314 

fi'lMI     K,  ••>    rh'M 

1 

'^?c'4796sr0)47'6'                           Uni^«£of^Caania 

U  C  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


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